Mr X Memory Declined
by Lord Turkey
Summary: A Naked Teen Suffering From Amnesisa Washes Up On A Beach At Toyko 3 What Role Will He Play In Future Events Starts Poor, Gets Better [Chapters 8&9 Posted]
1. Prologue

Do Not Own Nor Do I Have Any Rights To Neon Genesis Evangelion

Authors Note: My First Attempt At Eva FanFiction & This Story Takes Place Shortly After The Episode: "Both Of You Dance Like You Want To Win" – Be Sure To Read And Review

Regards

- LordTurkey XX

Prologue:

I've often had time to question my existence upon and within' this world. Its common knowledge that few people remember their initial moments, memories become foggy by the extend time plays upon the fragility of such a pivotal existence.

However someone be it a parent or doctor holds the treasured moment of birth and life of that individual.

Nobody witnessed my birth for it is simply fact that I was never born, I cannot remember the first fourteen years of my life.

I've questioned and explored every avenue in an answering to the question of whom I am and why I exist on this earth but I have never found an answer.

I apologise for confusing you dear reader who has hazarded upon this scrap of paper, I do not wish to confuse you but it cannot be avoided as I simply cannot find an actual answer to give you that won't raise more questions.

Let me think back upon the first spark of moment that signifies my life, from the first time I felt the beat of the heart within my chest and the raising of the lungs within me ribs.

My eyes registered nothing but darkness in those pivotal moments then slowly my other senses too hold and I knew I lay within the surf upon some shore, that the metallic scent of blood covered my skin but the most shocking of all I knew that I was not a child, a casual glance down at my body and I knew I was on the cusp of adulthood…I knew all this but could not recall any moment of my life before that moment, I knew the words of all that surrounded me but had no memory of learning them…knew the names of everything upon that beach other then the one naked male lying face down within the sand…me.

I cannot continue to write any more upon this rapidly diminishing scrap of paper, not from the lack of space but from the tears flowing down my cheeks and hazing my vision.

Please if anyone reading this knows anything about me, anything of me then please I beg of you find me to tell me who am I?

- Unknown male


	2. Forgetting The Time To Reflect

Chapter One:Forgetting the time to reflect

"Did he have anything else upon his person?" Gendou Ikari asked of the person over his right shoulder.

"Nothing but that scrap of paper, written totally in English and with his own blood and he was naked" commander Fuyutsuki said pausing slightly for emphasis.

"Can he speak Japanese?" Gendou didn't care for the commander's attempt at humour merely the facts so he could recall the events to the committee.

Placing his glasses more firmly upon the bridge of his nose he was silently cursing exactly why this anomaly had stumbled into public view and not died from the elements beforehand.

"No but if he can he's hiding all signs of being able to"

"Could he be a spy?" Gendou asked the obvious question

"I doubt it, he shows no espionage training or skills"

"Still we cannot let him roam free"

"What could he achieve? Other then the layout of the Geofront?"

A small smile crept into the corner of Gendou's mouth, Fuyutsuki would be the only person who dared to question his judgement. Gendou vaguely remembered meeting the commander outside the emergency ward of a hospital that no longer existed.

"A man can hide more then just what is behind him"

Another philosophical discussion on humanity and ethics, an almost constant past time that the pair shared.

"But a shadow can hide many other shadows" Fuyutsuki replied.

"One light can vanquish all shadows and blind the man" a plan was already formulating within Gendou's mind.

"You intend to use him as a double agent?"

"Precisely, show him the poorest of secrets to satisfy him and keep our real secrets hidden within the shadows" Gendou's lips parting slightly as he spoke, his eyes never leaving the surface of his desk to look at the man behind them.

"Gain his trust before exploiting it, with what secrets?"

"The Evangelion's of course, they are public knowledge after all and many people know the identity of the pilots" Gendou knew the only risk this stranger could hold would be his ability to influence the pilots.

And Shinji would be the only pilot that could actually be influenced…little could be lost as Shinji was so easily controlled by Major Katsuragi and so fearful of his own father.

"And the human instrumentality project shall be kept secret whilst his mind is preoccupied with petty secrets, I understand" Fuyutsuki smiled a plan certainly was coming together.

"We shall question him further then release him and keep him under surveillance" Gendou Ikari offered to the human sounding board behind him.

"Perhaps we should let him scratch deeper then just the surface and let him into NERV itself"

"Yes give him a position as a member of staff and keep him under constant supervision to unravel his secrets"

A plan was set in concrete as deep as the foundations of Tokyo 3 itself.

"We're excluding the fact he may be innocent of all guilt"

"And not have any memory of his past until the point he washed up on that beach?"

"Yes after all it use to be innocent until proven guilty"

"That notion was pre-second impact and has no weight within this world; if he is innocent then he shall be under our wing with his amnesia"

"Being manipulated so that his trust belongs with us and not his half forgotten past"

"As intended" Gendou licking his lips in delight, within the shadows of Gendou's office the gesture was not witnessed.

"Whom shall he work for? NERV? Or us?"

"NERV but if we can truly trust him then we shall employ him"

"The language barrier shall be quite a problem…just translating his small note from English took two hours"

"Then put a roof over his head with someone who can speak both English and Japanese, low overheads to maintain our budget"

"There are many people that fit that requirement" Kouzou Fuyutsuki said suppressing a small chuckle.

"Then let the Magi decide, shall we need to spend any more of the budget on this investment? Gendou asked, his small beard swaying with the movement of his strong jaw.

Gendou knew the answer was yes but didn't want the answer to issue forth from his lips.

"Some clothing unless you want him walking round naked and a minimal wage if he is to be in our employ"

"And the cost of keeping him under surveillance" Gendou added not doubting for a second this person is a spy. The only question was who sent him… SEELE presumably to keep watch on himself and Fuyutsuki.

"I'll run the possible English-Japanese speaking staff through the Magi" Kouzou said breaking Gendou's train of thought.

"Good" Gendou's reply echoing within the cavernous space of his office. The sermetus sepeturum painted to the roof of the large mostly featureless room giving it instant character despite that void of space.

I'd lost count of the time I'd been waiting.

Sat upon the same metal chair across the same table.

Red bloodshot eyes stared defiantly at what I assumed was a two way mirror.

I could imagine the person on the other side frantically taking notes as I refused to blink at my reflection. Unbeknown to the person on the other side of that glass I wasn't showing defiance merely staring at that alien reflection and questioning who it was.

Behind the mirror a door a single women sat watching the naked figure.

The pad of paper she held in her hand was blank and untouched which was starting to annoy her.

"This should be Ritsuko's Job" she muttered angrily to herself knowing full well that the CCTV camera over her head didn't record audio.

Misato Katsuragi knew this was her punishment:

"Watch him and write down all his actions" vice-commander Fuyutsuki had angrily yelled down the phone at her.

"So far all he's done is stare right at me" Misato spoke aloud to herself to alleviate the silence that filled the small cramped observation room.

Through pure boredom she began dismantling the pen she'd been given before reassembling it easily within the time of a few seconds.

"Come on do something" she muttered

He blinked

Finally after what seemed like an eternity of constant staring he'd actually shown some kind of normality and blinked, the pupils of his bloody eyes dilating before returning back to normal as he continued his visual.

"Ritsuko's still got to give him a medical before we know if that bloodshot look is from the contaminated seawater or something more serious"

"Like a genetic disease?..." a new voice asked starting the major for a second before regaining her composure.

"…it's a possibility along with countless possibilities" Ritsuko stated seating herself upon table edge that the major sat behind.

"Doesn't it unnerve you?" Misato asked turning to look at her friend

"Not particularly, his personality seems very similar to Rei"

"I mean the stare, it's so unnerving"

Major Katsuragi could feel the trickle of sweat running down her side until her bra impeded its movement.

"Yes if he could see us but maybe you should have a look at this" Ritsuko said producing a print out from the deep pockets of her lab coat.

It took a second of reading before Major Katsuragi understood the pieces of paper she'd been handed.

"It's the translation of what he's been saying?"

"Yes it seems he's got total amnesia apparently he can't remember anything from over…"

The scientist looked at her watch for a second before continuing.

"…three hours ago, just before you hit him with you're car"

"SHUT UP!" she cursed turning on her friend.

"You're lucky he dived out of the way I doubt that old Honda would have survived his weight"

"I couldn't just leave him in the middle of the road like that"

She remembered the total lack of resistance he'd put up as she'd grabbed his by the chest and dragged him into the passenger seat of the car, shame she couldn't understand what he'd been saying but the second he'd spotted the gun in her holster he'd remain silent the entire trip to the Geofront and only began speaking English again once he'd been dragged into the interrogation room.

"Do you think much of fate? If you never nearly killed him he might have slipped through the net"

"Because there a re so many naked teenagers running around Tokyo 3 this one wouldn't have been noticed?" Misato sarcastically added.

Misato ignored Ritsuko's stare.

Both participants of the small room glanced at the phone fixed to the wall as it started ringing before Misato answered it.

She instinctively stood up straighter as she recognised the voice on the other end of the line: Gendou Ikari

Twenty three seconds later she hung up.

Her spirit crushed, she glanced through the glass at the seated teen, his bloodshot eyes peaking out from under the shoulder length black hair.

"I've got to make a phone call"

"You didn't tell Shinji you'd be late did you?" Ritsuko asked knowing full well that she'd forgotten.

Misato hadn't forgotten she'd kept checking her watch knowing she should call her two room mates but also faced the conundrum of not being able to let the "subject" out her eyes.

"You'd best hurry…" Ritsuko said bring Misato back from her thoughts

The Major glanced at her friend knowing she'd get an explanation.

"…I've been ordered to give him a medical then he's all yours"

"Great" Misato muttered under her breath.

Minutes Later On The Outskirts Of Tokyo 3

"Are you getting that Shinji?"

"I'm sorry"

Shinji clambered from upon his bed and walked to the kitchen, ignoring Asuka and Pen Pen who were watching something on TV.

"Erm Hello" Shinji said after raising the receiver to his ear and halting the ringing.

"Shinji it's me" came the reply down the secure phone connection.

"Oh hi Misato you going to be late?"

Shinji turned to look at the TV; Asuka was sprawled out in front of it stuffing Cheesy potato chips into her mouth, on the screen a samurai surrounded by flames and gold advanced towards the camera.

Shinji wondered for the briefest of seconds why Asuka Langley Sohryu couldn't have picked up the phone with her being closest and all.

"Yes Shinji but there's something else"

_He'll be ok but what will Asuka's reaction be? _Misato was questioning on the other end of the phone line.

"Erm ok what is it?"

"We're going to be having a new visitor"

_At least I'll have a warning this time, unlike when Asuka turned up unannounced._

"Erm, ok who is it"

Misato paused, not knowing the answer to the simplest of questions.

"We don't actually know his name"

"OoookK" Shinji interrupted

"It's a long story Shinji I'll tell you when I get there"

"Ok Misato is there anything I can do?"

His eyes scanning the sideboards and table littered with empty beer cans and other alcohol related paraphernalia.

_Like cleaning_

"Yes set up the extra futon in you're room and don't tell Asuka"

"Oh ok Misato"

Shinji look down at the phone in his hand knowing Misato had already hung up.

"Was that Misato?" Asuka asked, momentarily asked taking her attention from the movie.

"She's going to be late again"

"So you're going to be cooking then?"

"Well I hadn't intended to…"

Shinji looked away from Asuka who had begun to stare at him.

"…it's just that with you already eating and I've got homework…"

Shinji inhaled deeply before continuing:

"…I'm sorry"

"There you go again! Stop apologising do you really think it's you're fault Misato is going to be late?"

"Well no it…"

"Males!..." the rest of Asuka's insult being silenced by the sliding door that marked the boundary of her territory.

Eventually someone came to retrieve me. I didn't understand what she was saying to me but I followed nonetheless whilst trying to ignore the guys wearing suits that followed me, from the glance at ones jacket whilst he stretched I knew each one was toting a pistol.

I let the suspicions about the identity of my captors rest, if they'd wanted to kill me they had ample opportunity earlier.

I noticed whatever corridor myself, the women in the lab coat and the four guys in suits walked everyone's attention was immediately drawn to me.

The men in orange jumpsuits, the men and women who walked around in grey uniforms.

Some paused as I passed, their eyes looking into mine before they continued on their way.

I couldn't place the badge that was stitched into all their clothing.

From my minimal glances I could see only a couple of letters of red against the black background but nothing more.

After over seven minutes of following this great white lab coat I eventually emerged in a room full of what was obviously medical equipment, I didn't need to speak Japanese's to understand what she was saying when she tossed me a gown.

I donned it instantaneously…only in that moment realising that many many people had seen me walking naked from the interrogation room to this lab.

I could feel my cheeks redden at the notion.

She smiled noticing the colour upon my face; I recoiled as she laid her hand upon mine.

For that brief second she stopped her constant monotone.

I couldn't tell what was running through her head, what unknown emotions I'd never experienced were playing behind her eyes.

She pointed at herself:

"Ritsuko Akagi"

I understood the introduction and didn't need the extra when she handed her identification badge to me, however the brief glance at the numerical figures and I at least knew that I could understand numbers in Japan even if I couldn't understand Japanese.

She was pointing at me.

"I cannot remember my name" I instinctively said.

I knew she couldn't understand me; the look of puzzlement upon her face as she knew what I'd said was too long to be a name.

"So he's perfectly normal?" Major Katsuragi asked.

The constant clicking of the elevator as it changed floors giving a regular background noise to the convocation.

"Physically yes, I can't determine his mental health until we've got a translator but he does seem to understand the most basic of Japanese and shows no mental handicap" Ritsuko answered.

Both females glanced at the unknown male in front of them, happy to discuss such information knowing full well he hadn't the slightest idea what they were talking about.

"So we've ruled out retardation?"

"Yes, he passed all the required tests but I'm still waiting for his DNA, urine and bloods to come back"

"Is he's all mine then?" Katsuragi asked, her face half hidden behind her hand as she suppressed a yawn.

"Once you've signed the paperwork of course"

"Of course" Katsuragi said glancing down at her watch.

_6.38am_

"Has he slept yet?" The Major asked

He was drooping forward slightly but other then that showed no signs of tiredness.

"I haven't seen him sleep, but I suspect he fell asleep with his eyes open during interrogation"

"Speaking of those eyes…"

"Perfectly normal hereditary colour" Ritsuko answered cutting her friend off

"You certain? I don't want him having a fit driving home"

"The swab tests concluded it, the Magi backed up the results"

"So I sign the paperwork then what?"

"He's got a few papers to sign, about being under you're guardianship and setting up a bank account"

"That's a little unfair isn't it? If he can't read the papers"

"That's where the magic comes in, The Magi had the papers translated whilst I was running the medical examination"

So this women, was going to legally adopt me, to live under her roof, be given a job and instruction on the Japanese language.

"What's the catch?" I asked my masculine voice sounding rough from the little amount of speech I'd done in the past few hours.

I had a right to be suspicious right? I'd been alive for merely a few hours and was now being adopted by the women who had nearly killed me.

I was still seeing spots in the corner of my eyes from the blinding glare of her headlights; the instinct of self preservation was the only thing that saved me…my body compulsively leaping out of the way of the danger.

Nobody answered me, the three people in the cavernous office just stared at the document in my hand as if to reinforce that I should sign it.

The corner of my mouth twisted into a small grin as I glanced down at the document, the only thing I could actually understand in this place. I knew they'd had it translated especially to help minimise my confusion so maybe this place wasn't as foreboding as I'd like to think of it as:

A woman nearly kills me then to make up for it she adopts me…a strange form of crime and punishment, almost the reversal of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"

The two men behind the desk disturbed me most, the one with glasses seemed to radiate authority whilst the one behind him was obviously his subordinate.

"There's no catch…" a newcomer announced in English.

"…you get to live with beautiful Misato here"

I watched as he approached, his steps were unlike everyone else's…casual.

His appearance made me doubt if this translator actually worked here:

The loose tie that hung upon a dark blue shirt combined with formal trouser and shoes made a difficult character to analyse.

"Kaji Ryoji" he said shaking my hand.

"You speak English?" I asked, then silently cursed myself for asking such an obvious question.

"A little but enough that I've been assigned as you're Japanese tutor"

"Lucky you"

He glanced at the women wearing the red jacket

"Lucky for both of us" he whispered.

The women was growing uneasy, unable to understand what was being said but able just as I was to understand the body language and casual gestures to give a good guess.

"So you gonna sign or do I have to take all morning convincing you?" Kaji asked, his hand gesturing to the legal document clenched in my hand.

I put it down on the desk, the eyes of the desk's owner boring into mine as if he could read my mind…or wanted to.

And yes I signed that document, and what name does a teenager with no memory of his past _(whilst dressed in a medical gown and lab coat) _sign?

Signature Here…**_X_**...


	3. Irritating The Man In The Mirror

Chapter 2:Irritating the man in the mirror

As I watched I was amazed by this person, watched as he quickly sized up the entire clothes store with one scan before dumping a pile of clothes on the cash register.

I smiled as he turned to me knowing full well that I was to pay.

As he began packing up the clothing I noticed what he'd chosen:

Four pairs of blue jeans, one black.

Seven t-shirts of various colours with slogans he couldn't understand…like the one that said "Womanly"

He tried not to blush as the boxers were thrown into the bag.

A multi-pack of socks.

He growled softly in disagreement as I added a school uniform to the pile, I merely smiled to myself.

"Thought you could get away with that one didn't ya?"

He glared at me.

For a few seconds the atmosphere in that store was one of pure tension as I held the glare…then he looked away.

His hands grabbing at the bags, his eyes downcast.

"Adopted?" the girl working the cash register asked.

"Yeah, normal power struggle"

She laughed:

"Show him who the boss is" She advised

"Thanks" I said as she handed me back my credit card, for the first time in months it wasn't being rejected thanks to the recent cash injection from the commander.

"See that wasn't so difficult…"

I turned to look upon the empty store

…SHIT!"

I dashed out the store, my hand reaching for the pistol concealed in my handbag.

_He's gone! I turned my back for one second and he bolts it for freedom._

I almost crashed into him; he'd lingered outside the store whilst I paid.

"Thank you" he said bringing the bags into view.

I grabbed him and embraced him in a tight hug, my arm coiled about his waist. At first he tried to push me away before realising I wasn't attacking him and his arm tightened upon my shoulder.

He'd said it in Japanese, basic Japanese but Japanese all the same.

"You're welcome" I said

Once again he didn't understand…I'd change that at some point.

I might not understand English but I could easily speak Japanese.

He bumped into him as I suddenly halted on the walk back to the car.

"Wait" I gestured glancing at the store

As I stepped forward he did too.

"Wait" I repeated, gesturing for him to stay still.

After seven attempts he did as I requested whilst I went in the book store.

When I exited a half an hour later he was staring at his reflection in the window, half hidden within the doorway I watched as his hand rubbed across his features as if his hand were encountering them for the first time.

_Its not just the language barrier that's the problem, I keep on forgetting about his amnesia…total amnesia, not being able to remember his entire life…I've got no idea what he's going through._

Putting my fingers in my mouth I whistled a short toot at him to get his attention.

"Anything else you need?"

I laughed as he didn't respond, and then laughed a whole lot harder when he joined along.

Misato's driving was going to kill me eventually. Outside her car she almost hit me and inside I was constantly ricocheted from side to side, my head and torso striking the window painfully.

I pulled down the sunshield and looked at my reflection.

The picture of Misato and her two children was next to the mirror.

"Misato?"

Driving one handed she turned to me at the sound of her name.

My extended index finger pointed to the photo.

"Children?" I asked

I didn't get an answer…she hadn't understood.

I pointed at the two children, from the redheaded girl to the brown haired boy then to Misato.

"Shinji": she pointed at the brown haired male in the photography

"Asuka": she pointed at the red haired girl

"Shinji, Asuka" I said then pointed at Misato's groin.

Her eyes seemed to bulge out her head as she got my drift before her cheeks reddened.

My guardian Major Misato Katsuragi shook her head in a negative reply.

Then it was my turn for my cheeks to redden.

"WHAAATTT!..."

The sound echoed through the apartment block.

"…Another Dum'koh male living under this roof…"

"…Shinji you knew about this?..."

"…He cannot even speak Japanese?"

I cannot claim to have many frosty receptions in my short time alive but the second I walked through that apartment I was greeted with the mother of all frosty receptions.

"Hi" I said as I raised a hand in gesture.

I understood when Shinji said Hello in reply.

I also knew that Asuka wasn't speaking Japanese when she replied and from the tone it was said in it certainly wasn't polite.

However I knew this was the start of a new story

In the threshold of the doorway he stood his eyes downcast as if he knew he was the intruder here. His mind was like a puzzle box, he could understand all the emotions that engulfed him and the other occupants of the apartment but knew nothing of Japanese edacity as he still stood in the recently purchased shoes.

Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Sohryu looked at this new person, at the clothing so new it was obviously just came off the rail, the white trainers, blue jeans, red t-shirt topped off by the brown leather jacket.

Misato certainly preferred this new attire over no clothing whatsoever, her face grim as she remembered her own life at that time, her hand clutching at the cross about her neck.

"You don't speak a word of Japanese?" Asuka asked, sweeping back her red hair with a gesture before fixing her blue eyes on him.

He wasn't intimidated by the glare, Asuka gasped in shock as his eyelids rolled upward revealing his bloody red eyes.

"Now now lets all play nice" Misato interjected, and while the new male didn't understand the language he recognised the calming tone of her voice.

"He doesn't speak any Japanese?" Shinji asked Misato just to clarify what he already knew.

"He's said thank you but other then that… nothing"

"Thank you? Even a one year old can say that"

"ASUKA!" Misato scolded

"Sure whatever" she swatted away the comment with a gesture.

"This is serious! We have no idea who he is and neither does he, imagine being in that situation"

He'd taken to leaning against the doorway, the rucksack that held his clothing sat next to his feet.

"Shinji show him where he can put his things and get him settled will you?"

"Bu..But you said he doesn't speak any…"

"He doesn't but that doesn't mean he's an idiot not all human communication is verbal ya know"

"Well ok"

"You follow Shinji ok?" Misato said turning to the new male, her finger pointing to him then to Shinji and he got the idea and followed scooping up the rucksack onto his back.

Naturally the room he entered was stereotypically minimalist as is the style in Japan, instinctively planting his bag upon the bare desk he turned to the other male. Inside he knew he was the newcomer, a foreign trespasser in another's territory.

"We'll you'll be sharing with me so everything that's mine is yours" Shinji began before deeply sighing.

"You can't understand me can you?" Shinji asked

The newcomer smiled before lying upon the plain futon that dominated much of the floor in the small room.

"You going to sleep?" Shinji asked his head resting in his palms to add some form of translation he'd understand.

He responded by mimicking the gesture and giving a shrug of his shoulders before sweeping back a bang of black hair from his right eye.

"I know you can't understand me Shinji but if I remain silent for much longer I shall not be able to speak at all.."

The English language saturating the walls for the first time since the buildings construction.

"...and as I stare up at this unfamiliar ceiling I'm trying not to think of the events that led me here, trying not to think of who I am or what my past consists of…"

Taking in a sharp inhale of breath he silences Shinji with an upheld hand before continuing with an ancient proverb:

"Good things come to those who wait" he muttered to himself, his tongue slipping between his cracked and dry lips adding additional moisture.

His throat croaked slightly, almost as if it knew it was being forced into continued silence.

"Guys can I come in a minute?" Misato's voice asked through the thin barrier of wood and dyed paper.

The stranger resting upon his elbows glanced at Shinji hearing the voice before relaxing and maintaining his composure…the event wasn't missed by Shinji.

"Yes Misato"

"Phone call for ya" She tossed the phone to the newcomer.

In a split second he was seated upon the edge of the bed and snatching the flying telephone from the air.

Misato and Shinji were both amazed by his speed, he looked down at the phone in his hand muttering "cool" to himself before answering in the only language he knew:

"Hello?"

"Good morning Mr X"

"Oh Hello Mr Ryoji"

"I prefer Kaji, so how you settling in kid?"

"Good I guess, Shinji and Misato are trying…its still awkward but that's understandable"

"And Asuka?" asked Kaji his tone light and full of amusement.

The only answer being a deep vibration emanating from the youngster throat before the vibration became a growl.

Kaji chuckled in response.

"Anyhow she'll be preoccupied later, I'm coming round for your first Japanese lesson tonight anything else you want? Because now is the time to ask"

Thinking on his feet the stranger answered:

"Can you get me into a gym? I need a work out…" his secret agenda being to test his body.

"Check I'll get it arranged.. anything else?"

"Any chance of avoiding going to school?"

Kaji laughed before answering "Not if Katsuragi has anything to say about it but I doubt she'll send you until you can read, write and speak passable Japanese"

"Cool didn't think of that"

"Right according to your schedule.." Kaji paused whilst he consulted the clipboard within his hand.

"..You're on free time until tonight then tomorrow you're scheduled for a tour around headquarters"

Misato glanced at her watch.

She wondered how long the pair were going to be talking; she dreaded thinking what Kaji would teach him later tonight…hopefully not Kaji's brand of seduction & unique outlook upon the world.

As Kaji hung up he couldn't repress the smile. He liked this kid, although he wasn't deserving of such an ominous title as "Mr X" perhaps someday he would be.

"Hmm"

Kaji stood and despite the small issue that now puzzled him walked from his temporary office to the small phone fixed to the wall outside.

As he raised it to his ear he pushed a single button upon its surface that would put him through to the main reception computer system.

"Dr Ritsuko could you please contact Kaji Ryoji" he spoke into the receiver turning his back to the phone terminal he viewed his temporary office.

Little more then a converted store room actually, towers of obsolete paper files stacked three deep against two of the walls, broken cleaning equipment taking up the rest of the room that wasn't dominated by his desk and chair.

He'd been in Tokyo-3 for barely three weeks and had already read all of the files and learned a few interesting secrets that hadn't survived the transfer onto computer.

"Kaji" Ritsuko said in way of greeting.

Kaji had been drumming his fingers upon his desk awaiting the call, two minutes after he gave the message into the phone the computer had processed it and announced it in a new feminine voice throughout the entire central dogma.

"Ritsuko my darling is there a reason why you've called me so unexpectantly?"

"Kaji drop it" Ritsuko said her tone firm and authoritative…a tone that worked remarkably well at keeping Kaji in line.

"Alas it was not to be" Kaji remarked

"What's up?" She asked

"The new kid wants a fitness test. Any chance you can arrange it for me?"

"It'll be difficult as he'll need level two security clearance just to access the gym it's another jump in clearance level to actually use the equipment"

"I'm sure a polite word in the right ear…"

"Like vice-commander Fuyutsuki?" Ritsuko interrupted

"Precisely"

"I can't promise anything"

"Ritsuko you can do psychoanalytical analysis right?" Kaji asked suddenly, himself fearing that Ritsuko would simply hang up as she'd done so numerous times in the past.

"Yes why?" She asked at the unusual question

"Just something that's puzzling me, he never asked for a name"

Ritsuko took a deep inhale of breath, silent frustration streaming down the telephone line.

"Kaji there are hundreds of reasons why he didn't ask or perhaps you didn't think that he's too embarrassed to ask?"

"Like what?" Kaji asked, his curiosity needing to be sated.

To Ritsuko Akagi's credit she named them all…it took around forty minutes.

"So he's been released for less then three hours and already wants to see more of the complex?" Gendou enquired

"Exactly, the case for him being a spy is indeed mounting"

"Indeed it appears so"

"Shall I give him the necessary clearance?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"Make it so, have the security camera's follow and record him at all times"

"Mr X" rolled onto his side before flicking a section of hair from his eyes, he hadn't been aware of falling asleep but a quick glance at Shinji's clock confirmed the suspicion, he didn't remember any dreams, no brief glimpses into his past nor any other new information that could help him.

Rubbing his eyes he emerged from the bedroom, Asuka tried boring a hole into his forehead as he emerged into the kitchen.

"Don't you have school?" he sarcastically remarked in English.

Not knowing what he'd said Asuka gave her own sarcastic comment:

"Enjoy you're sleep?" He knew recognised the tone and responded accordingly.

"What the hell are those things in you're hair anyway? They're far from attractive"

A few minutes later the pair were almost throttling each other.

The chairs that normally scattered around the kitchen table were strewn around like rubble in a battlefield.

Asuka swearing in both Japanese and German while the male swore primarily in English.

Asuka pushing him against the wall, his back bouncing off the surface.

Growling he pushed back, she collided with the table before retaliation her hands wrapping around his throat.

His hand lashed out grabbing her throat and as both squeezed the oxygen from the other Misato finally intervened.

"Both of you stop it!" she yelled, her hands dragging the pair apart.

Dragging Asuka by the wrist and the male by the shirt Misato Katsuragi pushed the pair into their separate bedrooms.

Leaning against the wall she exhaled deeply as she look upward towards the heavens, "what have I let myself in for?" she questioned of no one in particular.

Setting her face firm she stormed into Asuka's room.

"Asuka what the hell did you think you were doing?" she yelled, outraged at the second child's behaviour.

"He started it!" she defended herself, wiping away the moisture of fresh tears with the back of her hand.

"Look he's been here only a few hours! I want you to resolve this clash of personalities…"

"How? He's such an idiot!" Asuka interrupted

Misato ignored the comment, and turned her back on Asuka to hide the sudden smile that came to her lips.

Maybe they should get to know each other better, she thought…then the term "a date" sprung to mind.

"Asuka you're grounded until further notice" she said closing the door behind her and silencing any further argument.

"One down" Misato muttered to herself.

She opened the door to Shinji's room, her eyes instantly drawn to the vague flapping outline of clothing outside the window before it plummeted downward.

"SHIT!" she yelled running to the window, each running step feeling as if she was running in slow motion.

"I turn my back on him for one second and he gets abducted by batman?" she silenced the inappropriate sarcasm.

Leaning out the window she watched the male hit the floor five stories bellow.

His muscles tensing to absorb the impact, he grunted as the pain ran up his limbs but knew instantly that he hadn't broken any bones or suffered major damage…quite a feat considering the fall.

"Just as I thought" he muttered to himself, he had no doubt that he wouldn't survive the fall…actually felt compelled to see if he could.

Seconds earlier perched upon the windowsill he's felt no fear, no small voice warning him that the drop would kill him, not even the slightest whisper of an internal instinct for survival.

"HEY! Hold it right there!" he heard a female voice yell in the language he couldn't understand and looked upward to see Misato peering out the window far above.

"Should I stay or should I go?" he muttered to himself as he weighed up his choices.

Ignoring Misato's protests he walked away from the grassy area he'd landed upon until his sense of direction and common sense took him onto the street.

Then he turned, having second thoughts he walked back to the building he was suppose to call home and leaned against the wall opposite the elevator.

As the doors emerged Misato threw herself through the narrowly opened doors…car keys already in hand.

When she spotted him she stopped.

"I hope that proves I can escape at any time if I wish it and I stay merely because I want to" he said, in the best cool and resolute voice he could muster.

Misato didn't know what he'd said but she understood precisely what the action declared.

"Sassy bastard" she swore at the youth.

Grabbing his shirt front she dragged him into the elevator to which he offered no resistance, the small smile across his face showing that he'd already had his victory.

"Now I'm not going to put this in my report…" Misato began as the small confined space rose

"…but you'd better start showing me some respect young man"

"WHAT!... he survived a fall like that?" Asuka ignored the way Shinji flinched.

"Yeah Misato stormed right out like her ass was on fire or something" Shinji confirmed.

"That stupid idiot is agile enough to manage a fall like that?"

"I guess so, I know he doesn't look unfit but to manage something like that he's got to be special right?"

"I suppose maybe he's not such an idiot after all….Shhinji?"

Shinji didn't like the way she'd said his name, it normally implied she was about to ask a favour that he'd rather not do.

Asuka threw him a digital camera from her desk, Shinji awkwardly caught it.

"No Asuka I cann…won't do it!" he said adamantly crossing his hands upon his chest.

"So you'd prefer I degraded myself Shinji?" Crocodile tears streaming down her cheeks.

At the sight of Asuka crying Shinji Ikari's defences crumbled and nodding slightly he agreed to do as she wished.

Clearing his throat he announced his presence.

Both Asuka and Shinji turned to see him leaning against the door frame.

"I've come to apologise" he said before walking in front Asuka and getting down upon his knees touching his forehead against the floor.

Asuka fought the temptation to introduce her foot to his shoulder and accepted the apology with a small smile.

Misato smiled to herself as she watched the trio from the doorway.


	4. When In Rome, Master The Lingo

Chapter 3:When In Rome, Master The Lingo 

"Someone mind explaining this?" I asked aloud

Not surprisingly nobody answered.

"Hello people there's a fucking penguin in the building" I jumped to my feet as it approached and jabbed my finger in its direction to thrust further emphasis on the creature.

Shinji, Asuka and Misato all looked at me as I was insane.

Tensing up my legs I threw a warning glare at the approaching bird and lashed out with a kick that fell short: a warning.

"Hey! Will you stop that?" Misato yelled at me in Japanese and physically pushed me back onto my chair at the kitchen table with that twenty nine year old strength of hers.

From the corner of my eye I watched as the penguin padded into a freezer before shutting the door behind itself.

"That's a pet?" my finger pointing at the freezer

"Pen Pen" Shinji and Asuka both said, confirming my suspicion that both of them we're indeed nuts and kept an arctic penguin as a house pet.

"He doesn't seem to like penguins" Shinji observed watching as the unknown male seemed to go into himself and just stayed motionless and stared at his hands.

"It's probably the first time he's seen an animal with his amnesia and all…" Asuka said bringing the room to pure silence as both Misato and Shinji just stared at her.

"…What? I'm no aloud to comment on his Psychology?"

"Well No…It's just that…" Shinji looked downwards at the stove upon which he was cooking at and wisely decided to remain silent.

"You're probably right Asuka"

"What's for dinner Shinji?" Asuka asked deeply inhaling the aroma of cooking.

"Vegetables, Genmai (unpolished rice) and fish cooked on a bed of salt with lemon grass"

"Sounds yummy Shinji…" Misato commented while opening her third can of beer and glancing down at her watch:

"…Damn it I've got to be at work in three hours?"

"So we're home alone tonight?" Asuka asked

"Nope Kaji's coming round to teach him…" a glance at the silent male

"…Japanese and you too Asuka"

"But but I can already speak Japanese Misato" Asuka yelled slamming her hand upon the table with tears in her eyes.

Misato levelled a stare at the fourteen year old and crossed his arms across her chest.

"But you're having problems reading and it'll give the both of you time together"

Asuka's eyes glazed over as she entered a dreamlike state before exhaling deeply "Ah me and Kaji alone for hours" she said in a dreamy whisper.

"Mr Ryoji is your tutor Asuka nothing more nothing less and I was talking about redeye here and you"

"WHAT! Me and him alone for hours?"

"Yes but only learning the language" Misato pointing a warning finger at Asuka.

"Liked I'd want to do anything like that with him!" she yelled.

Mr X glanced up, finally rousing himself from his stupor to pick up his chopsticks and held them perfectly between his fingers whilst pantomimed raising food to his mouth from an imaginary bowl.

"Well I seem to know how to use chopsticks" I muttered to myself.

Misato and Shinji looked at me amazed that I could obviously manage.

"You think that's impressive?" Asuka declared grabbing up her own chopsticks and dropping them onto the table attempting to copy Mr X

Before I knew it I was already behind her chair and repositioning her fingers.

"No look" I whispered, praising her fingers apart and gently repositioning them upon the small spindle of wood.

Asuka looked down at her hand, memorising the position of her hand then successfully pantomimed raising food towards her mouth.

Asuka turned to look over her shoulder at the male.

Her blue eyes reflecting off his red eyes, such an evil colour that somehow made him look so innocent.

"Thank you" she said in poor English; the accent totally off.

His normal plain expression lit up into a wide smile.

"Your welcome" he muttered before drawing closer to her.

Their eyes coming closer and closer until suddenly he planted a small kiss upon her cheek.

The entire room seemed to take a collective breath.

Suddenly his lips pressed upon my cheek.

His eyes so firm yet welcoming, there was depth within them that I couldn't fathom.

_He's a real mystery_

I could feel my cheeks redden and the corner of my mouth twist up into a smile.

With one strong shove Asuka pushed the male onto the floor.

"How dare you kiss me!" she yelled down from above him.

Half sprawled on the floor he looked up at her, still smiling whilst he raised an eyebrow.

"MEN!" she yelled turning her back upon him.

"Did he really deserve that?"

Everyone turned to see Kaji stood in the doorway.

"I hope you don't mind I let myself in"

"KAJI!" Asuka practically screamed as she ran to his side.

"Hi Asuka"

"And how did you get in?" Misato asked, her glare frosty as she look up from her beer at Kaji.

"Ritsuko lent me the spare you gave her, makes sense if I've got to come and go in the night to teach these two"

Kaji's eyes fixed upon the reds of the Mr X's:

"You know you can get up?" Kaji said in English…which he quickly did.

"You staying for dinner Kaji" Shinji asked while readjusting his cooking apron.

"If there's some more to go round"

"Plenty, we're not sure how much of an appetite he's got"

"Mr X? He's a strong boy he'll eat tons"

"Mr X? That's what you're calling him" Misato asked

"Couldn't think of anything better" Kaji admitted with a shrug of his shoulders.

"This is impossible!" I said slamming the pencil so hard into the desk that it shattered

"Temper temper Mr X it's really quite easy when you get the basics" Kaji said taking a sip of his coffee.

I glanced over at Asuka who seemed to be having similar difficulties reading the maths question within her hand.

"You should all speak English and make my life easier!" I spoke under my breath.

Kaji ignored my comment and glanced from me to Asuka…I hoped he hadn't seen the "kiss" between the two of us, I wasn't sure why I did it. Hours earlier we'd been willing to kill each other but when she said thank you in my native language it was the first example of compassion she'd ever shown me and I was touched…guess I wanted to show her I appreciated the gesture.

"Come on Mr X you can read numerical stuff Ritsuko's report says so, go help her already"

Rolling my eyes to the ceiling before shuffling closer to Asuka and instinctively throwing an arm round her shoulder and pulling her closer towards me.

The warmth of her body against mine felt nice.

"Six hundred and sixty six" I said my finger pointing at each of the numbers in turn.

"Six hundred sixty six?" she repeated flashing three sets of six's with her fingers at me.

I smiled.

"Yep" I repeated the finger counting to show she was correct and nodded with a smile upon my lips.

I could feel extra pressure upon my side as she leaned more of her weight against me before resting the back of her head upon my taller shoulder.

"Thank you" she said one more in English and turned to look at me.

"Thirteen?" she said

My eyes quickly glanced at the maths question that her finger lay next to, seems she'd given me the correct answer.

"Yep, well done Asuka" I said in my newly learned Japanese.

"Thank you…." She responded then said something else in Japanese I didn't understand.

"I didn't understand that last word Kaji, what she call me?"

Kaji looked up from the book he was studying:

"Oh that? She said thank you honey"

I turned to look at Asuka and smiled, she returned the gesture.

"Kaji can I think of a name for him?"

"He's not a dog Asuka! or a penguin for that matter" Kaji mock scolded

"Ppplllease?"

Now it was Kaji's turn to roll his eyes to the ceiling.

"I'll tell you what Asuka, when you can ask him in English and he says its ok in Japanese then you can choice a name for him"

"What you two talking about?" I asked Kaji

"Us? Oh we're naming the baby" Kaji Ryoji answered with fresh sarcasm in his voice.

"Huh?"


	5. Lets Rock

Authors Note:

Thank you for the great amount of people reading this, it's been online for just over a day and is already my most popular FanFiction so please keep reading (although I'm noticing a lack of reviews)

Although thanks to **Avhen** – although it would make a bizarre plot twist I'm afraid not (maybe I should have written that scene better)

Regards

- LordTurkey XX

Chapter 4:"Let's Rock"

I knew I was being watched, despite the paper thin partition that shielded my body from the other occupants of the room I still knew I was being watched.

My ears picked up on the small noises of hidden cameras recording my every move from pulling off my t-shirt to stepping out my trousers as I donned a tighter set of gym clothing.

I didn't like this clothing, the white t-shirt that felt too short and kept riding up my arms to the blue shorts that barely made it down to my thighs, the shoes thankfully were comfortable but I knew I'd prefer to be wearing my own clothing instead of this regulation stuff supplied by Dr Akagi.

On the other side of the changing partition we're Dr Akagi, Misato and Kaji…each one eager to see how fit I was psychically and while some small part of me wanted to impress Misato with my strength I knew I was taking this test for my own piece of mind and benefit.

I remembered sitting up upon the bed and effortlessly snatching the flying telephone from the air without really realising I'd performed the action; as if my muscles did it instinctively and compulsively. That wasn't the only event I was questioning leaping from a building to land un-scaved upon the floor bellow wasn't a normal occurrence but I'd still felt no fear and I knew deep inside of me that I'd survive the fall.

As I exited I nodded to the three and tried to ignore Dr Akagi's clipboard and who ever was on the other end of the camera's watching me.

There was a horrible silence as I stretched and did warm ups and I avoided making eye contact with anybody.

"Kaji rock music please" I said in poor Japanese but still a drastic improvement then twenty four hours previously where I couldn't speak nor understand the language at least now I had the basics.

"Rock music?"

"Sets a good tempo" I muttered whilst advancing on the single punch bag that hung from a central beam in the roof.

"Lets see just how strong I am" I muttered to myself out of earshot of the others.

Turning my back to the isolated bag I spun around and violently roundhouse kicked the punch bag in perfect time with the opening beats of a song I had never heard before.

I kept up the onslaught with a flurry of quick punches that made the bag swing unpredictably upon its chain until I realise I was hitting the bag with such fury and skill that I was keeping it practically vertical.

My eyes glanced at the people watching me:

Misato had a look of disbelief upon her face while Dr Akagi was frantically scribbling notes…Kaji on the other hand was tapping his hand against his leg in time with the music.

Misato yelled some warning which I didn't need.

Keeping my feet grounded I shifted my weight and leaned back narrowly avoiding the forgotten heavy punch bag as it swung through the area my body had inhabited seconds previously.

Keeping my eyes on one fixed point upon the wall I let rip into the punch bag directly behind me: my hearing and instincts telling me where it was positioned as each elbow and backfist struck quickly one after another.

I didn't realise I was yelling "Ki" points with each strike until as the music was entering its crescendo I leaped up into the air and twisted my entire body around landed a powerful jumping roundhouse upon the bag just as it swung into me.

The impact threw me to the floor, my back striking the floor before god knows what instinct took over and I was rolling backwards and upon my feet.

The only sound in the room was the echo of my final yell of aggression and the mammoth thud as the heavy bag slammed into the wall…my final kick had destroyed its moorings.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to the bag, the small impact crater in the plaster wall a testament to the strength it had impacted with.

In the stunned silence I clicked the bones in my neck and turned to the room:

"That good enough for ya?" I yelled at the hidden cameras.

The lift slowly clicked down the floors until the pair arrived at their destination, For minutes neither Misato or Ritsuko had said a single word about "Mr X" but as soon as they'd used up idol talk they knew they'd have to address the issue.

"Did you see that?"

"Of course I saw it I was in the same room remember?" Ritsuko said with sarcasm in her voice.

"I've never seen strength like that before from a human"

"Neither have I but it wasn't strength alone he used in that display, he showed awareness of his surroundings a swell as phenomenal self control…"

"That was self control?" Misato questioned

"Yes, you saw the anger in his eyes, he knew he was being observed and he could have easily attacked any of us Major Katsuragi"

"He wouldn't do that"

"You sure? He's already had several opportunities to escape and if he did with that sort of strength I wouldn't be surprised if the commander ordered him executed"

"He wouldn't order something like that"

"Maybe if he displayed a violent nature but thankfully he seems quite passive and neutral"

"So its gonna be ok if I put him into Japanese schooling?"

"I don't see why not, he can read, write and speak passable Japanese the only problem I can see is he doesn't like the dress code"

"Well he'll have to get use to the fact we're not bending over backwards for him"

"Phenomenal" Vice commander Fuyutsuki said watching the footage over the commander's shoulder.

"Indeed so yet more evidence he's a spy"

"What do you suggest?"

"We appeal to his human nature"

"We don't know If he's got any, if he intends to initiate the instrumentality project…"

"He won't, he's no puppet of SEELE the old men couldn't find someone this special!"

"Even with the other Magi systems in the US, Germany and China?"

"No he's simply unique and as I was saying we appeal to his sense of human nature and enlist him to help our battle against the angels"

"You want to make him a pilot?" Fuyutsuki said shocked for a brief second:

_But if he is a spy giving him command of an Eva could give him phenomenal firepower against us_

"Yes, Major Katsuragi informs me he's now enrolled within the School"

"The front for the Marduk institute?"

"Precisely, let him become accustomed to life then enlist him as the fifth child hopefully before the 8th angel attacks, with such strength and obvious martial arts experience he'll easily become a strong pilot"

"If he can synchronise with an Eva"

"We know nothing of his parents of lineage so I have no reason to see why not"

"The Magi say he knows ninjitsu"

"The forgotten martial art?" Gendou said with a sharp gasp

"Yes what Eva do you suggest?"

"If he does indeed know ninjitsu then he could possible do pre-emptive strikes against the Angels before they threaten the geofront"

"But with the current power technology…"

"Designate him unit 04 and give the 2nd branch authorisation to equip it with the S2 engine"

"I don't think the Nevada branch would approve of that"

"Of course they will, we gave them the rights to make unit 04 and 03 so they will jump inline to our commands for fear of giving Germany the privilege"

"But if he is a spy…we could be sealing our own fate" Fuyutsuki finally making his uncertainty's known.

"If he does indeed turn rogue then he is still outnumbered by our pilots and can easily be eliminated especially when the dummy plug project is completed"

"I see, I'll make the necessary arrangements"

"Very well"

I slept on the way back to Mistao's apartment, although I'd been encouraged to call it home I didn't. I wanted to believe that somewhere out there I already had a home and someday I would return to it.

I'm not surprised I slept…despite Misato's driving.

I had hardily slept the night before; the sound of Shinji's breathing although it was hypnotic I failed to succumb to the regular beat and let my own lungs join in with a similar rhythm.

I wanted to dream…but no dreams came.


	6. New Pupil Fears

Chapter 5New Pupil Fears

Joan Milligan – Give Me Some Credit With What I'm Doing Will Ya? I'm Purposely Keeping Distant From The Characters And Give The Story Time To Develop Before You Trash It, I'm Trying To Keep To The Original Plot Adding this New Guy In The Background So I Doubt He'll Become A Pilot And You Missed My Time Paradox (By This Time In The Series Major Katsuragi Is Still A Captain) And I Normally Write 1st Person So I'm Struggling To Make It 3rd Person, Gimmie Some Credit, Sit Back Down And Be Quite.

Ahven – (Happy Now?) I Was Taking Inspiration From Resident Evil For The Name And He Knows Ninjitsu Because I'm Learning Ninjitsu So Its Easier To Keep Writing What I Know

"One way to make an impression on my first day" I muttered to myself.

My heart pounding and chest straining to draw breath but still I kept running till my limbs felt full of battery acid…then I ran some more.

My first day of school and I was late, not really my fault.

Misato had overslept and failed to wake me, while Shinji and Asuka left like they normally would for a school day.

If only they'd have known that I was a new student at their school they could have woke me.

Running across a busy intersection I smiled to myself at the image of Shinji tip toeing around his own room getting ready for school without waking me.

The rain wasn't helping nor was the clothing I wore.

This school uniform hated me and the feeling was mutual, I hated this get-up, instantly defining me as a middle school student when I was so much more then that.

Tossing a wet bang of black hair from my eye I made a sudden detour into a clothes shop for some accessories before emerging a few minutes later and ran without glancing down at Misato's hand drawn map with directions to the school.

The satchel over my shoulder slapped irritatingly into my thigh but despite the many difficulties I faced I still ran through the gates a mere ten minutes late: quite an accomplishment considering the distance I'd ran.

I almost slipped down a set of stairs as the rubber sole of my shoes last traction but I compulsively leaped to the bottom landing in a crouch before quickly finding my feet and running to the nearest male toilet..."got to make a good impression"

"You sent him to school late!"

"I overslept Ritsuko!"

"You shouldn't have been drinking all night with Kaji then should you? Now he's going to suffer for your actions"

"He's not going to suffer!"

"Misato Katsuragi you're his legal guardian it's your responsibility to look….wait a minute"

"What's up?"

"What name is he enrolled under?"

"Shit! I knew I forgot something"

"You enrolled him in school without a name! Misato you dunce!"

I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my neatly combed hair pulled back into a low ponytail and held in place by my recently purchased clips and hair bands…thankfully part of my adoption included a credit card and although I'd yet to do any work in my new job it had some money on it.

I knew I resembled Ranmaru Mori but that was the image I was going for; the ambidextrous appeal to both sexes that I could easily change when I uncovered more of my personality.

2-A

Deeply inhaling I opened the door.

Class was already in session directly in front of me was the elderly man who was quite obviously the tutor and for a split second it seemed as if I were invisible until all eyes turned to look in my direction, I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and regained my composure:

"Forgive my late arrival I'm a new student, who's been assigned to your class" I said bowing low as Japanese equity demands; showing my respect to the teacher.

"I was told to expect you…" he said turning to me, all the tension escaped from my body briefly as my sins were forgiven until he added:

"…I expect you'll be on time in future Mr ?"

_SHIT! He wants to know my name? I don't know my name._

_I could feel the fresh tears begin to drip down my cheeks as well as the thin layer of sweat beads appearing on my forehead._

Say something you idiot!

I saw the tears forming in his eyes and without realising it I was already on my feet addressing the class with the first thing that came into mind:

"He's Roji Kantabua"

Both teacher and Him turned to look at me, I could feel everyone look at me as if they demanded even more of an explanation for why I knew him.

"Have you already met Ms Sohryu?" teacher asked of him.

I watched helplessly as he nodded, surely he'd give some absurd reason for knowing me like claiming to be my boyfriend or something equally unthinkable.

"Yes we met briefly in Germany when I was visiting my parents…"

He lied so easily, a perfect lie that he could fill with as much false truth as he needed without anyone ever suspecting a thing.

"…How are you Asuka?" before I knew it he was taking a seat next to me, his red eyes looking at me and saying "thank you" without words.

"Roji Kanatabua?" I whispered taking a free seat near Asuka, my eyes catching the faintest image of Shinji from the corner of my eye.

"Ex-Boyfriend" she whispered back in response.

Tossing my black ponytail over my right shoulder I picked up on the whispers regarding me:

"Wow he's so cute"

"Who does he think he is?"

"Roji? What a cool name"

I can honestly say that I tried to pay attention to the lessons for the first few hours but soon the alluring view of the outside world was quickly draining my interests for world history along with my attention span.

The perpetual grey sky cleared away in magnificent slowness leaving behind a legacy of shallow puddles upon the grey tarmac.

A deep shudder ran up my spine as I remembered my initial moments upon this world.

Risking a sideways glance I noticed Asuka was just as interested in the view as me.

Her blue eyes seemed to look right through me, such a beautiful colour that made mine seem all the more demonic and alien.

I'd paid a lot of attention to the inhabitants of this city and nobody I saw had eyes like mine…deep down I was getting depressed while in comparison the class was getting more and more excited, even Asuka was catching the infection; reluctantly I decided to turn my attention back to the teacher stood at the front of the room and away from the world within my own head.

"Other then a few of you you've all paid for the field trip"

"Field trip?" I found myself questioning.

The teacher seemed to positively have the class in rapture; from the small wooden platform in front of the black board he reminded me of an ancient dictator whom I knew I had never met but still knew something about.

The more I listened to the schedule the more I felt myself becoming excited, just being given the opportunity to go somewhere other then this city was positively exciting then he said a single activity I knew I couldn't participate in:

"Scuba diving"

Instantly I imagined being surrounded by nothing but water, my own limbs flashing out in all directions but failing to keep me afloat as the sea quickly claims me, exhaustion dragging me down and in those final moments before the current sweeps me away I see the rest of the class above me laughing and enjoying the experience while I'm screaming.

"Scuba diving?" I questioned aloud.

The class seemed to grow even more silent as everyone looked at me, apparently it wasn't right to interrupt.

I knew I was sweating, could feel my underarms growing rapid damp patches along with the trickle of sweat that dripped down my spine.

"I don't think I can swim"

"Mr Kanatabua?" the teacher addressed me, I must have said my thoughts out loud.

"I don't think I can swim" I repeated again.

My teary eyes turning to Asuka, pleading for some kind of assistance.

"I don't think I can swim" I repeated solely for her.

Undisguised salty tears running down my face, my eyes stinging.

The room laughed with my pain.

Each individual's voice adding to the crescendo that was engulfing me.

The light bright walls echoing the sound that repeated over and over again.

"Mr Kanatabua?" the teacher practically yelled over the noise.

Pushing my fists tightly against my temples I stood.

The clatter of my chair hitting the floor momentarily adding a new noise to the laughter.

I ran; my footfalls strong and determined.

The only thought in my mind being that I had to escape.

Within seconds I was leaned outside against the wall of the corridor, slowly I sunk to my knees hugging them close to my chest.

"Asuka please find him" the teacher said, his deep voice breaking the sudden silence that hadn't existed a mere door away.

"Don't have to go far" he muttered

I'd barely stepped out into the corridor and there he was curled up tight and defensive with tears streaming down his face.

"Are you ok?"

I watched as he shook his head from left to right before looking up at me.

"People were laughing" talk about pointing out the obvious.

The dampness of the floor penetrated my skirt as I kneeled down to his height.

"You made quite a scene"

The corner of his mouth twisted up into a smile.

"Not the best first impression"

The reflection from his bloody eyes and I knew that I too was smiling, the fresh heat in my cheeks being further evidence of the fact I was getting feelings for him.

"I guess, you're new here I know what that feels like so what if can't swim"

"It's not that, I think I'm afraid of water" wiping the tears from his eyes he suddenly seemed more masculine, with his hair in such a feminine style he seemed to be full of contradictions.

"You'll never be an Eva pilot then"

"Eva?"

"You mean Misato hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

He didn't have the slightest clue what an Evangelion was, he knew nothing of the second impact or the angels, sat in a small corridor I told him it all, all the things neither that idiot Shinji or Misato had told him.

For a few seconds once I'd explained he was silent, his gaze looking at my shoes (and hopefully not my legs) before he finally spoke:

"I've been given a job in NERV"

Great! As if I didn't have enough problems now I could have to contend with Shinji, Wonder girl and now Wonder boy.

"Figures…" I muttered

His confused look showed he really didn't understand.

"…Are you coming back into class?"

"I don't think I can" fresh tears threatening his eyes again.

"Idiot!"

I didn't give him a chance to resist as I dragged him in with a firm grip upon his shirt.


	7. Fleeting Flying Fears

Joan Milligan – Thank you for the advice (although you really must learn to be quite!) and I've noticed two flaws in my writing: a) isn't using separate fonts for each character as I was when I originally wrote it (hence the character confusion…sorry) and b) I suck at changing my writing style so from now on I'm going to stick with what I normally do – I apologize for the rough start but hopefully things will now get better, and without further ado here is:

Chapter 6Fleeting Flying Fears

"Please don't crash, please don't crash, please don't…"

I'd been saying it quietly to myself for well over twenty minutes as if it were a holy mantra.

Not surprising really as this was the first time I'd ever flown.

Even enduring Misato's insane brand of driving didn't have this quality, I could always dive out the door if I saw danger coming but this experience was different in a whole new terrifying way.

I couldn't see the danger.

My field of vision was limited to the back of the seat in front of mine. The same grey plastic and three vertical lines each made from the primary colours. If this was to comfort me it certainly wasn't working it just made me think more of the view to my left.

Although the small window had its shade drawn it still seemed to positively emit evil to me, I'd watched in fascination as the aircraft had lifted off then as the people grew smaller and smaller, as the fall grew larger and larger the true realisation of what a hellish experience flying was.

I'd slammed down the sunshield without a second though and sunk back into the cushion of my seat with my white knuckled hands clutching the arm rest of my chair as if it offered some form of protection.

"Please don't crash…"

My mind drifted back to New Tokyo-3 which was only a small part of a small island but it was still my home; somewhere in that part of the world a few islands away were the three people I considered my family.

"Okinawa here we come!" a male voice yelled behind me and almost instantly a chorus of similar excited comments were echoed around the section designated for our school.

A small smile crept onto my white face without my intention as I listened to the sounds of the misled flight attendants trying to calm and quite our class.

Their voices small yet authorative being cheekily ignored by my fellow classmates and without teacher in any imminent position to punish them they were pushing their luck.

"Please don't crash…" I repeated without relaxing my grip upon the chair, the weakening plastic starting to grow brittle under the stress and pressure my hands could exert.

"Don't worry this plane won't crash, in fact it can stand up to extensive air pockets and turbulence" a male voice called from the seat directly in front of mine, a spectacled face looking at me from the small gap between seats.

My eyes snapped wide open, bloodshot and fearful.

"…turbulence…air pockets!" my voice was barely audible, little more then a squeak of fear.

"Kensuke stop it will ya? You're scaring him" Another voice began.

"I'm just pointing out fact Toji"

"You're the new kid aren't ya?" the boy dressed in a dark tracksuit consisting of white, purple and deep blues.

I nodded confirming my identity with my given name.

"Yes I'm Roji Kenbusa"

Asuka's given name for me still felt alien but I had decided to call myself by it for the time being.

"Shinji talks about you quite a lot" Toji declared resting with his arms behind his head; leaving me with a small view of his elbow

"You live with Shinji & Asuka?" Kensuke asked.

"Yeah" I could feel my fear receding and along with it the crippling grip upon the seat began to weaken.

Both faces turned to look at me before they yelled one question at me, wet spittle striking my face:

"SO YOU LIVE WITH MISATO?"

I recoiled deeper into the seat…shocked.

"…Yeah" I tentatively answered.

"SO WHATS SHE LIKE?"

"Well she can't drive or cook for that matter and she's really pushy in her teaching method but as a parental figure I can't argue" I answered truthfully.

"Parental figure?" Kensuke questioned.

I exhaled deeply, I wish every knew what little I knew about my past so I could stop repeating it to all and sundry, from most people my story got sympathy and a ton of advice that I'd already received from numerous people before.

I didn't have a family tree, no lineage to look back upon and I hated keeping this fact secret.

"I know nothing of my natural parents"

"Nothing?" Toji asked

"Nothing since two weeks ago" with the back of my palm I wiped the fresh tears form building up in my eyes.

"So Roji isn't your real name?" Kensuke asked

"Nope don't have a name…Roji was something Asuka cam up with on the spot" I answered with my regular sarcastic tone of voice which I'd adopted as of late.

"Well you can have my name if you want it" Kensuke said with eager emotion and emphasis.

I battered away his idea with a gesture of my hand:

"I'm fine with Roji or Mr X but thank you for the kind offer"

Bowing slightly to show my gratitude while still remaining seated…I still hadn't gained the courage to unbuckle my seatbelt.

"So you're Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida?" I asked leaning forward in my seat.

"Yep I'm Kensuke and this is Toji" Kensuke said gesturing between the two of them, Toji held up his hand in welcoming; a cool gesture I'd have to remember…both seemed very different then either myself or Shinji

_With every male I meet I find it more and more difficult to define what masculinity is._

"Shinji's mentioned you guys, you know Rei?"

"Rei Ayanami?

"Yeah I've heard her name mentioned a couple of times at home"

"She's an Eva pilot…"

"And all Eva pilot are on combat stand by right? So there's no chance of meeting her?"

"Yep all three of those suckers are trapped at home" Kensuke confirmed

"But how about that six thirty start man that's going to be a killer"

All three of us nodded in agreement…all thoughts of the flight banished from my mind.

_I've finally made some friends._

None of us had the knowledge of what was going on back in Tokyo-3.

I'd be given the condensed story from Misato when she picked me up from the airport back at the city.

Shinji & Asuka's versions were far more gripping accounts of the attempted capture of the 8th angel and its subsequent destruction.

However that's not my tale to tell, and although I did not witness that angel I knew I desired to see one of the enemy.

I'd see combat myself eventually but let me return to this current story before I get side tracked further.

By the time we touched down I'd already listened to Kensuke's dramatic account of the battle with Shamshel and both his and Toji's personal involvement with the battle, it also helped me fill in a few blanks about what precisely the Evangelion's looked like as I still hadn't seen them, in fact to be truthful my afternoon in the gym was the last time I'd been in NERV headquarters or central dogma…I'd still received no information about my job nor past although Dr Akagi had taken a whole spectrum of samples from me a week previous to our trip:

"Is this what makes us so unique?" I'd asked as she expertly slipped a thin needle beneath my skin without me experiencing pain.

"Our blood? Most creatures have some form of blood"

"No…" the slight sting of discomfort as the plunger was drawn backward.

"…the fact that we can examine it and not merely consume it"

"I suppose but there are parts of human history that weren't so great" Her eyes drawn to the red claret contained within the small glass tube.

"Second impact?" I questioned

"Not just that but the whole aftermath, war, genocide, cannibalism…the whole world went nuts"

"The spectrum of humanity has a darker side?" I stated philosophically

She nodded in satisfaction at the blood sample before passing it to Maya.

As she left Dr Akagi turned and from the doorway of the room said one statement I'd be toying over, contemplating on and thinking about for hours:

"Let's hope its only events like that which make it come from the darkness"

"…Lets hope" I'd said in a whisper.

"…And Shinji was screaming and we could all see the prog knife getting deeper and deeper and someone was counting down over the speakers…"

I'd tuned out somewhere but Kensuke's story was far less interesting a third time through, even Toji seemed uninterested and he had actually been there.

Our hotel room was pretty unimaginative but still felt comfortable.

The small heater under the window filled the room with pleasant warm air, we had the television on in the background but only Toji was really paying attention to the basketball game his eyes covertly glancing at the score line occasionally.

"So how many Evangelion's are there?" I asked changing the topic slightly.

"Three currently, unit 00 that's Rei's and it's the prototype, Unit 01 is Shinji's and that's the test type and its really cool there's plenty of room in the entry plug for three people and…"

"What about Asuka's?" Toji asked folding his arms across his chest…trying to course Kensuke back onto a topic we were actually interested in.

"That's unit 02 and it's the production model"

"You said currently?" I gestured with my hand

"NERV has given the second and third branches approval to build units 03 and 04, my dads team is personally overseeing the construction of unit 03, hopefully with contacts like that I can become an Eva pilot"

"It's not all fun and games Kensuke its war, you saw the pain piloting that thing did to Shinji he didn't show up to school for three weeks" Toji said.

"But it'd be really cool! Toji don't you want to become an Eva pilot?"

"Not really" he all but snorted out the reply

"How about you Roji?" Kensuke's gaze turning on me.

_Do I want to not only see the enemy but fight them? _

_Declare my allegiance to humanity and defend it? _

_Maybe I could forge a stronger bond with my family_

I shook my head in a negative response.

"I've got enough worries without fighting Angel's contributing to my problems" I stated clenching a fist then relaxing it.

"I suppose you have what you doing about your amnesia?"

"Nothing" I answered

"NOTHING!" the pair both yelled

"I'm happy where I am, if I've got a past I'm sure it'll make itself known someday, somehow"

I was speaking the truth; although I kept having momentary changes of my mind I knew I was happy in Tokyo-3.

I had a purpose in life, a family and friends and in some small way I was involved in fighting against the Angels:

I wasn't there on the battlefield but I helped support and make the lives of the pilots and Misato that little bit easier just by doing medial tasks such as cooking and cleaning but I knew I had both the strength and speed to protect them physically if I needed to.

"So you're happy being Roji?"

"Well I'm obviously not Japanese by origin, I'm obviously a westerner and lets not forget I can speak English…"

Another smile lighting up my features

"…which makes passing the English test easy peasy"

Toji slapped me on the back:

"It's alright for some" he muttered

"But you're going to teach us right?" Kensuke asked bowing down before me.

I laughed out loud

"Sure…now about payment…" I began

We argued long into the night until the class rep banged on the door for us to "keep it down" when we finally rolled out the futons and went to sleep.

The alarm clock woke us a mere four hours later.

We all scrambled to turn the accursed device off and in the new silence of the room we all looked upward at the ceiling.

"Six thirty start" we muttered simultaneously


	8. Cooling Heat Of Molten Rock

Chapter 8 – Cooling Heat Of Molten Rock

Sweat dripped and trickled upon my forehead like rainwater dripping off a virgin stone. It ran and trickled with such ease you'd think my forehead were covered in oil.

The fire spread from my head to my stomach its iron grip wrapping about my heart as it proceeded.

Without warning I lurched forward and spilled the recently topped up contents of my stomach onto the wet sand of the beach.

As the pain ravaged my chest my throat grew dry but still my body repulsed and hacked up more stomach acid that burned my insides.

I'd eaten too much at breakfast. A buffet is a terrible human invention and the lures of a breakfast named after my first language was too strong.

The vomit pooled at my feet stank awfully; I bent to one knee and looked more deeply at the liquid slop that had once been part of me.

"Nothing more then acid and slop" I muttered aloud.

I was alone upon a beach with no other occupants then myself, my entire class was nearby in the clear blue waters the occasional class member surfacing for air being the only indication that I wasn't totally alone amongst the sand dues, stray grasses and rocky cliffs.

Running my fingers through the sands I let it filter through my fingers.

The light wind making the tiny particles of ancient stone fall upon my pile of puke then repeated the motion again and again.

It had a soothing effect on me, watching the sand trickle through my weakly clenched fingers.

I pictured myself as an hour glass, a natural progression for showing the shifting of time. One day my body would be little more then this sand:

"Ashes to ashes…"

_If only we were all like these sands… how much comfort would we get from this closeness? How unifying would our humanity become?_

I let the thought drift away as the last grains of sand met the wind.

"…Dust to dust"

Cool wetness trickled between my toes as the incoming tide splashed me with a spray of surf and salt. Clenching and unclenching my toes together the wet sand rubbed against my skin and between my toes.

Toji's damp hand slapped me upon the back.

"What a perfect world that'd be" I muttered finally before letting the trail of thought vanish before turning to face him.

"See anything good?" I asked

Thirty Seven Hours Later – New Tokyo-3 International Airport 

"So how was the trip?" Misato asked with a wide cheerful smile upon her face.

"GREAT" I answered feeling my own features mimicking her facial gesture.

"So you miss me?"

"Of course"…I lied, slinging my rucksack into the backseat of Misato's car.

The clothing filled bag making a small sound of impact as it landed upon the six "spare/stolen" black car batteries that dominated the faded grey backseat.

"So anything happen while I was away?"

"Nothing much, just another Angel attack" she said donning her reflective ski glasses, I gave my seatbelt an experimental tug to see if it was secure as I knew I'd be needing it. Luckily the resistance still existed so I'd probably not be flung through the windshield.

"REALLY?...the place doesn't look any different"

"It was a maintained battle" she answered starting the engine, it ticked over for a few seconds before firing into life with a heavy roar of horsepower…Misato's foot blipping upon the throttle.

"Shinji, Asuka and Rei Ok?" the first trickle of tentative sweat dripping down my spine.

"They're fine, I'm fine too thanks for asking" Sarcasm heavy in her voice.

"Sorry"

For a few seconds neither of us said anything before Misato turned to look at me.

"I've missed you kid"

"I've missed y…FUCK!" the rest of my statement cut off as the Honda lurched into forward momentum with unnecessary speed.

"When you gonna teach me to drive?" I asked clenching my eyes tightly shut as Misato drifted the Honda around a steep corner with a light touch of the handbrake and a loud constant squeal of abused rubber peeling off the tyres.

"Why? I'll take you where ever you want to go"

"Misato, Shinji and Asuka can pilot Evangelion's, its not asking too much to ask to be able to drive" I argued.

"We'll see"

"I'm sure Kaji would teach me" I muttered under my breath.

"You assuming Kaji is a better driver then me?" Misato said with fake hurt in her voice.

"Ha Misato, Pen Pen can drive better then you!"

"Cheeky bastard!"

She slapped my arm playfully to which I responded with a playful backhand of my own.

"Get it from my mother" I said with a wide sarcastic smile on my face.

I witnessed Misato's cheeks redden.

"And what's she like?"

"Ok" I answered turning to look out the window.

For the briefest of seconds I saw the profile of someone I recognised sat opposite a plump woman in a roadside café but I let the small flicker of recognition go from my mind.

"So what you want to eat tonight? We've already eaten"

"Thanks for waiting for me" this time the fake hurt was evident in my voice.

"You're welcome"

"We got anything in the freezer?"

"Nope"

"Damn, I'll just get something from the store then"

It was cold outside, my own breath handing in the air long after I'd expelled it.

My feet slapped against the cold pavement as if my entire body resented being back in this city. I knew this simply wasn't the truth I was merely cold after all this was home to me and those I considered my family.

Walking the streets I ate my recently purchased foot, Misato had dropped me off outside the corner store safe in the knowledge that I knew the way home and would be there shortly.

Licking the fake chemical derived taste of beef from my finger the faint rustle of the plastic bag linger in my ear long after I'd thrown the empty packet of crisps into the bin.

I looked about me, life and light was everywhere.

Women pushed along strollers despite the late hour.

Teenagers walked arm in arm.

I smiled to myself; I truly was home and couldn't be happier.

At the same time in the underbelly of the Geofront vice commander Kouzou Fuyutsuki was handing a clipboard to commander Ikari.

"His initial tests?" Gendou asked with a small glance his voice echoing throughout the vast cavernous room.

"Yes quite frankly he's exceptional; these synchronisation predictions are very…"

"High, I can see for myself, there can be no doubt about it he must be given Evangelion unit 04"

"I'll make the necessary calls but even if the second branch don't put up a fuss it will still be months until the unit arrives"

"With a predicted synchronisation ratio this high then it is a necessary wait"

"Do you still want to install the experimental engine?"

"Yes, convey the order to the second branch"

"With such power…"

"We'll push all efforts into completion of the dummy plug system and use it as his leash if needed."

"And train him for this scout role?"

"Precisely"

Gendou laced his fingers together, his white gloved hands pressing against one another. His gaze no longer upon the report, Ritsuko had done well he set a mental reminder that he'd have to reward her.

When the unit reached Japanese shores then he'd have to forward a Marduk report to her terminal stating Roji as the fourth child.

Authors Notes: Wow, sorry for such a late post folks but I've been really busy with uni work and found writing this real hard to get back into. Ironically the first half of the chapter was written ten minutes after posting chapter 7 the rest I just had real difficulty writing but I'm finally following the actual storyline of the series (when I first thought of the story I wanted it running parallel with the series) but seem that my character was almost edited out of the original…(that make sense?)

Any how you enjoyed it, and as always reviews, comments and questions are most welcome.


	9. The Day Tokyo3 Stood Still

Chapter 9 – The Day Tokyo-3 Stood Still

Roji slept soundly, curled up in the foetus position little of the duvet covered his body. The early morning sunlight settling upon his feet, it would be several hours until it fell upon his face and woke him.

Asuka watched him silently from the doorway of his and Shinji's room. Watched as the milky white skin grew goose bumps followed by the unconscious body shivered before recoiling further into the duvet.

Asuka smiled to herself as he grew warmer, his black hair messy and all about him. Asuka had never seen him like this; the innocence he portrayed…an innocence that would be shattered when he opened those blood red eyes.

He certainly wasn't like Kaji, he was different in so many was but deep down Asuka knew she was getting feelings for him but couldn't see how or why.

"Man he's going to be late again" Shinji announced strolling past the door.

"Well serves him right if he's out till two in the morning" Asuka letting her feelings become hidden.

"Shouldn't we wake him?"

"Nope…" Asuka defiantly crossed her hands across her chest.

"…If he's not got the ability to get up in time then he'll suffer the consequences" Within seconds Asuka had pushed Shinji out the front door and was locking it behind her.

"I've still got to call my father" Shinji protested against the forceful push of the female upon his spine.

"Shinji poor Shinji there are these things called pay phones nowadays"

"But I want to invite him to the parent teacher meeting"

"Shinji call you're father and while you're doing it I'll get wonder girl and buy us some lunch"

"Ok"

"_Nozomu Takahashi wants to help you form a more cheerful government…"_

Government?

Shielding the sunlight from my face I sat up, the cold air hung on my chest like a weight, the tiny hairs upon my chest and arms becoming erect.

From outside a loudspeaker declared that election candidate Nozomu Takahashi would change the running of New Tokyo-3.

Rubbing my brow I wondered why a campaign team would be campaigning so early in the morning…then my eyes looked at the clock.

"Oh shit" I muttered

Throwing the duvet aside I quickly pulled upon my underwear and trousers before falling down upon the floor whilst trying to put my socks on.

I looked at the empty futon next to mine:

"I'm gonna kill you Shinji!" _why didn't he wake me? Now I'm going to be late!_

Within five minutes I was racing out the door whilst running a brush through my long tangled hair.

I joined the small group of people awaiting the elevator.

"Why hasn't it come yet mummy?" a small girl asked of the mother that held her hand.

"I don't know sweetheart" the mother replied.

Without thinking I barged through the crowd and pressed the cold metal call button but unusually no light illuminated it showing I'd even pressed the button.

"Don't you think we haven't already tried that?" an elderly gentleman asked me.

"How long have you lot been waiting?" I asked of the two-deep crowd.

Ten minutes was the latest time, with no stairs in the apartment block the vast majority of occupants had no way of getting to work or school on time.

"So we call an engineer, they fix the elevator and we're all a little late"

One girl ran off to a nearby apartment before returning a couple of minutes later.

"Looks like a power cut, the lights, phone, TV, nothings working"

I spoke to the crowd:

"Well ladies and gentleman I guess you'll have to wait until the power comes back on"

"And you don't?" the elderly gentleman asked me, the frustration of being late evident in his voice.

Concentrating I blocked out every voice. My mind set upon the feat ahead of me.

_I've done it before, I can do it again._

The cold cement under my hand.

I registered the gasps of shock and awe as I threw myself over the balcony.

Once again the wind wrapped around me, the adrenaline within my bloodstream keeping out the cold.

Without any pain my feet connected with the floor, the momentum of the drop throwing me into a landing crouch.

Once again I'd survived the drop without any pain, normally I'd question what made me this superhuman agility but now I was even later then normal and had to get to school.

Indeed it seemed there was a power cut, traffic lights didn't work, I tired calling school ahead but the line was dead, I even tried Misato but still got no answer by the time I was approaching Terminal Dogma I was already three hours late.

Kaji smiled to himself as Misato explained the situation.

"Something's very wrong"

Kaji couldn't help feeling smug, he's already successfully sabotaged the three back up circuits along with main power, not a particularly difficult task; god was certainly smiling upon him as being trapped with captain Katsuragi gave him a fool proof alibi.

"What's the backup system?"

"There are three back up circuits, its impossible for all of these to fail at once"

"Then that means…"

"Someone has purposely sabotaged the Geofront"

"But why?" Kaji asked; questioning his own intentions.

"If the energy levels of the Geofront we're monitored when the system is rebooted then an outside observer could establish the vital systems and their location"

"And that would be bad?"

"Yes if the vital systems are destroyed then everything from Terminal Dogma to the Geofront would be helpless"

_Making it easy for an Angel to establish contact with Adam. _Kaji's own conscious surfacing.

His eyes looked at the four steel walls that surrounded him, the thick brushed steel couldn't be ruptured nor could the magnetically sealed doors; indeed he had a perfect alibi but at what cost? Kaji prayed an angel didn't attack.

Ignoring the trickles of fresh sweat rubbing down his side, Kaji's brown eyes looked down at Misato repeatedly pressing the emergency phone button.

"We've got to get out of here" Kaji muttered to himself.

"_This is the third district JASDF, an unidentified object is heading towards this area, all residents must evacuate to their designated shelters" _

Roji watched the small green aircraft pass overhead and a wide smile appeared upon his face.

All around him people ran for cover, only he was a solitary stationary island amongst the sea of panic stricken faces.

Nobody noticed the calm expression upon neither his face nor the deep laugh that escaped his throat and echoed about the buildings around him.

"I've not got a designated shelter so that means…"

His eyes drifting to examine the surrounding he found himself in. He'd already failed to get access to the Geofront, failed to establish contact with any figure of authority, he truly was on his own: left to his own whims and desires.

"…time to see the enemy" he muttered.

Tokyo-3 stood desolate and abandoned, no people walked its streets, no cars drove upon its roads; the humans that inhabited this city we're running scared, groups numbering in their hundreds took shelter in heavily fortified buildings. Animals ruled this city now, the cheap of birds, the scuttle of urban foxes dashing for cover.

However a larger animal was claiming territory, its gargantuan weight crushing down upon city tarmac cracking it before proceeding further.

It sensed something different from its surroundings; it sensed a presence like that of its own deep beneath the city and other not far from the first presence.

"Hey so you're an Angel right?"

Roji got no answer from the 9th Angel it still trudged onwards towards him.

"Ok you don't wanna listen to me? I'll make you listen to me!"

Concentrating for a brief second I threw a brick at the angel with all the force of my body, it came within inches before impacting upon the Angels AT field.

For the briefest of seconds its eyes seemed to focus on me, I couldn't tell which eyes were its actual eyes and I'd have to admit that the I did feel intimidated by this…its size didn't bother me.

"You see this is my home and if you're gonna wreck it then I'm going to have to stop you"

Slowly the giant spider like Angel proceeded further on ignoring the small impacts of rubble upon it's AT field inflicted by the strong mammal.

Roji watched in disbelief as it loomed over him, the primal instinct of fear started to overwhelm him.

Orange grew around the eye on its underbelly, for a few seconds it built up before orange liquid dripped downwards.

"Oh shit!" diving to the side I narrowly avoided being engulfed in the acidic liquid.

Laughing to myself I addressed the enemy once more:

"First you want to destroy my city, not the smartest option; secondly you try to destroy me, now it's personal"

The Angel paid no more attention, its total preoccupation upon secreting acid into the floor that would eventually reach the Geofront underneath.

"Ok bricks won't work so what will?"

I licked my lips in anticipation as I spied the nearby car park.

Seven running steps later and I turned back to look at the Angel, a single eyebrow raising as I extended one hand with its pointed index finger:

"Don't go anywhere" my voice deep and sarcastic.

"Come on you stupid piece of crap!" I cursed slamming my palm upon the petrol tank of the green Kawasaki motorcycle. My right foot heavily falling upon kick start while my wrist pulled heavily upon the throttle.

Within a minute the machine roared to life.

"Now we're in business!"

Pulling hard on the throttle I struggled to keep one foot planted upon the floor as I bought the powerful bike about in a 180 spin, over revving on the gears before shifting up.

I was doing seventy miles per hour in a matter of seconds.

Pulling the clutch full I planted one foot and with all the strength of my body launched the Kawasaki upwards.

Rolling upon one shoulder I deadened my fall and with a second following my recovery I was able to turn and watch as the bike spun through the air towards the Angel.

Upon connection with the AT field it exploded marvellously, shrapnel that had once been handlebars and cam pipes struck everything within its path and radius, I remained thankfully intact.

My sarcastic smile returned as I crossed my hands over my chest.

The Angel roared a deep moan of frustration, its eyes fixing upon me.

"Now that I've got you're attention" I mutter scooping up from the floor a crescent moon shaped piece of metal left over from my motorcycle explosion; presumably half of the flywheel and razor sharp.

I raised the weapon to my face, each eye looking down either side then threw the rudimentary shuriken, it sliced a small cut three inches deep upon its body.

A deep roar admitted from somewhere within the Angels body as no mouth was noticeably present upon its person.

I dropped into an Ichimonji Kamae (_a Ninjitsu stance_) my one extended hand beckoning the Angel closer.

"Let's rock" I declared

I knew I was strong and fast, I'd witnessed both before with my own eyes, twice I'd survived a fall that could easily kill a normal human; I wasn't normal…my eyes alone told that story, a story that was lost somewhere within my unknown past.

To protect this city, my home I was prepared to battle.

Shockwaves rocked the floor beneath me and I took the initiative and dived out the way seconds before hundreds of height velocity rail gun slugs propelled upwards through the spider, for a brief second it stood defiant and unharmed…before collapsing in a heap, a single mammoth leg twitching before coming still and silent.

"You're not looking up my dress are you?"

"No maam" Kaji groaned in boredom.

Seconds later the elevator turned into life, the dull metal walls illuminated by newly born fresh artificial light.

Nearby in Kaji Ryoji's office a single lone laptop, hummed into life its small hard drive rapidly recording the systems rebooting via its rudimentary hardwired connection upon the main processor line, the vital systems and they're locations within the Geofront quickly being instantly recorded upon the hard drive before the automatic encryption program disguised the results.

Kaji's plans were progressing well.

"It's ironic without electricity and artificial light the sky can look so beautiful at night" Shinji's plug suit keeping out the worst of the cold night air.

"Yeah but without the lights it seems there are no humans here" Asuka retorted, herself preferring human comforts over natural comforts…Shinji always had seemed more distant from others she'd noticed.

Gradually the light of the city flicked into life one by one until the hill side the three children lounged on was covered in darkness no longer.

"…There I feel much more comfortable this way" Asuka finished, the only movement of her cross legged lazy position being to keep her warm within the vinyl like covering of her red plug suit.

"Man fears the darkness and so he scrapes at the edge of it with fire" Rei responded adding her own views, her position far more tense then that of the other two children with her chin resting upon her knees.

"Hhmm Philosophy huh?" Asuka said without really expecting an answer.

"So is that what makes mankind a special species?..."

"_I remember asking that very same question not so long ago"_

An approaching male thought to himself, his footsteps slow and quite upon the damp grass.

"…is that why the Angels attack us?" Shinji finished questioning; he'd not received a conclusive answer from either Asuka or Rei when he'd asked it earlier, when all three had been crawling around in the darkness with little to no light to guide their way.

"What are you stupid? Who knows what they think" Asuka said quickly cutting off Shinji's question that she could not answer.

They had saved the day and all three lay content and happy within the aftermath of their victory.

"I think they can feel fear" Roji yelled across the grass plain as he announced his presence.

"Roji!" Shinji quickly exclaimed scrambling to a sitting position to see the silhouette of his friend advance closer.

"Nice of you to join us Roji…" Asuka said honestly before sarcastically adding "…were you late for school?"

Roji chuckled to himself for a second before consulting his watch:

"Looks like I'm thirteen or so hours late"

Taking his jacket from his shoulders he laid it down upon the grass to the left of Rei before lying down upon it and looking up at the stars.

His faded denim clothed legs crossed at the ankles and the faint brown t-shirt stretched over his chest as he rested his arms behind his head.

_The stars seem dimmer with the light pollution but they're still magnificent _he thought to himself.

"Oh!..." Roji quickly bolted to a standing position before turning to look down at the women to his right in the white plug suit.

"…where are my manners? I'm Roji …….. I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you Ms. Rei Ayanami"

"Always the British gentleman" Asuka mutter to herself in disbelief as she watched Roji and Rei talk more on Philosophy…it seemed they shared much more then just identical eye colour.

"So what DID you do today Roji?" Shinji asked.

"Well let's put it this was, I never want to be anywhere near the business end of one of those pallet rifles ever again!"

"You where there? On the surface?" Rei asked curious of this stranger.

"Yep, buying you guys time to come in and save the day" Roji said with a cheeky smile illuminating his face.

"Yeah? Well we we're handling it just fine without you Mr………." Asuka said turning to look away from him.

"Sure you were princess" Roji countered with trademark sarcasm.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" Asuka yelled in disbelief.

Kaji smiled to himself, the darkness of his small cramped apartment barely illuminated by the backlight of his laptop.

With one free hand he scrolled amongst the millions of files and data hacked from the Geofront and Magi system, his other hand wielding chopsticks that expertly delivered freshly steamed rice into his eager mouth.

_Nothing like being trapped in a life all day to build up an appetite_

With half interested eyes he watched the CCTV files of empty streets, clustered evacuation shelter and…

His eyes viewed the file with total attention, his food lay forgotten in his lap.

Kaji licked his lips before clicking upon the mouse to view the file once more.

Kaji smiled as the motorcycle exploded, that dated CCTV camera's recording the action frame by frame in poor black and white quality.

"Well well Mr X you certainly got balls"

Meanwhile Gendou Ikari watched the same footage with equal interest, his hands pressed together and face eternally neutral.

Authors Notes: finally I found the time to write about both my favourite Evangelion episode and my favourite Angel, didn't really have much of the original characters but focused more on Kaji (a personal favourite and role model) I always assumed it was him behind the sabotage, I'm pretty sure its never confirmed in the series but I always had the assumption it was him. Also added more character development for Roji and his territorial feeling over Tokyo-3 along with the Angels.

Enjoy? Feel free to tell me what you thought, read, review, e-mail, comments, questions all welcome.

P.S. Chapter 10 Is Almost Finished!


	10. Strength

Chapter 10

"Typical!" Asuka cursed next to me as we huddled from the rain.

"And I thought British weather was suppose to be bad" I muttered as I watched the rain strike the floor with excessive force.

"Don't suppose Shinji brought an umbrella?" I asked glancing at Asuka, her nose wrinkled up in disgust as the weather and the knowledge we were both probably going to get very wet indeed.

"Of course that idiot didn't!"

I sighed, the air rushing up from the very pit of my lungs and expelling in a smoky haze of hot air meeting cold.

When I turned to look at Asuka I was smiling.

"What?" she muttered, her shoulders slouching forward with aggression.

"Looks like you're going to get wet darling" I confidently whispered into her ear.

Back-pedalling I easily avoided Asuka's wild punch; my cheeky smile still evident of my face.

"You forget how fast I am German darling?" I taunted

"Stop calling me that!"

"You race me home and I'll stop calling you it" I stepped backward a single step into the downpour of rain, my hair was instantly slick and clung to my face but despite the thick strands I could still see though their dark veil.

"You know I'll win" she announced stepping forward to meet the challenge, her newly damp hair losing its volume and falling frail and weakly about the shoulders.

"Without you're Unit 02 you've got nothing on me" my cheeky smile still refusing to fade from my lips.

Raising a hand for her to wait, I slowly inserted a single earphone from my silver SDAT player and pressed the play button, I loved taking my time…unlike Ms Langley Sohryu the wetness of the weather didn't bother me; swimming on the other hand might be another matter.

"C'mon I'm getting rain in places you don't even wanna know about here"

"Ready?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

Asuka came and stood next to me, she mirrored my body language as we were both slightly hunched over in preparation for the start.

"I was born ready" she sarcastically answered.

The opening beats of "Tamashii no Refuran" started in my ear.

"GO!" Asuka yelled and took off running.

"Silly girl" I muttered before pursuing purposely a few seconds behind.

Within seconds my legs were as wet as my hair, the backsplash from my heavy running steps drenching my trousers.

With a flick of my head my hair flowed behind me; no longer obstructing my vision.

Asuka was already running through the school gates, her hands clutching the front of her skirt to protect her dignity from the ripping wind.

My distraction cost me, my ankles and knees slamming into a bench, I let the momentum take me and flipped until my feet found the floor and I was running once more…now Asuka was nowhere in slight, I had some catching up to do.

Jumping another bench and I was passing under the school gates…Asuka was long gone.

"Shite!" I yelled in English whilst rubbing the bridge of my nose.

After a minute of recuperation I ran.

I knew what route Asuka would take so I had to cut her off somewhere to make up my lost time.

Vaulting down a set of forty stairs I arrived in the shopping precinct, the soles of my shoes barely touching down upon the floor as I dodge and weaved about the crowds with all my weight confined to the outer and inner edges of my shoes.

Converging with the busy high way I didn't even pause to assess the traffic and just launched myself across the road.

My rear touched upon a red civics bonnet but lacked the speed to cause major harm, I merely stumbled upon landing.

Finally after running all out for another two minutes I caught up with Asuka, my shortcut had bought me so close she could practically feel my hot breath on the back of her neck.

"Hurry up Roji, you're hardily a Roger Banister" she taunted from over her shoulder.

"Just getting my second wind darling" I somehow managed to reply.

We were within sight of home now, Asuka taking the stairs two at a time…I look them three at a time.

With one final burst of adrenaline I overtook Asuka, slamming my hand into the elevator call button.

"Bastar…" the rest of Asuka's curse was cut off by the closing elevator doors; only then did I fall to my knees inhaling huge breaths of fresh oxygen that my body craved and screamed for.

One hand supporting my weight on the low concrete wall as I slowly made my way towards the apartment, taking my keycard from my pocket and swiping it into the reader, it emitting a small mechanical beep confirming it had recognised my LV.1 entry card

Without warning Asuka pushed me through the door.

"Ha I win" she announced stepping over me; it could have been my imagination but I swear she winked at me.

"Oh hi" Shinji said from the kitchen, patting at his hair with a towel.

"SHINJI!" both me and Asuka yelled in stunned unison.

"Erm…hi" Shinji said again.

Before Asuka could begin to verbally assault him I silenced her by covering her mouth with my hand; despite this she continued to shout despite my muffle.

I raised one hand, my index finger extended:

"Ok Shinji, firstly how did you beat Asuka here? secondly..."

My voice rising slightly

"…how the hell did you beat me?"

A wide smile overtook Shinji's face, raising his finger to his nose and taping it twice he slyly gave this explanation:

"You'll never know"

As the doorbell went, the metallic tune echoing down the small corridor I reduced Asuka from my grasp who promptly went to get changed, I followed suit going into mine and Shinji's combined room to shed my drenched school clothes…leaving Shinji Ikari to answer the door.

The muffled voices of Toji and Kensuke coming through the walls, on top of that I could her Misato moving about in her room.

Shuddering I removed my damp shirt tossing it into the blue wicker laundry basket near the door, it landed with a heavy sodden thump.

Slowly I unzipped my trouser and wriggled left and right until they hung about my ankles and they were also added to the laundry hamper.

"_So like where's Misato"_

"_She must still be asleep"_

Running my fingers through my hair I combed out most of the tangles.

Pulling on my light blue jeans and pink t-shirt by the time I was lacing up my boots and shrugging on my NERV issue jacket Misato had already left for work.

"So Misato's a major now?" Asuka asked

"YES!" Kensuke yelled

"Misato's a major?" I asked

"YES!" Toji yelled

"Why don't we celebrate? Throw a party?" Kensuke suggested

"Great idea!" Asuka added, even Pen Pen seemed to agree; I still eyed the damn penguin with suspicion from the corner of my eye.

"We'll we can't do anything outside" Toji said, pulling out a chair from the dining room table, his eyes rolling to heaven as he had to move an empty vodka bottle from it before sitting.

Kensuke, Asuka and Shinji followed suit.

I stood leaning in the doorway, putting as much distance between myself and Pen Pen as possible.

"Why not, it'll be great we could have a picnic, bring watermelon…" Asuka said

"That won't be happening darling because the rain is coming down like all the angels in heaven decided to take a piss at the same time" I muttered

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

The corner of my mouth twisted up into a small smile:

"Make me" I responded.

"P'ah you're not worth my time"

I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

"You wanna invite Rei?" Shinji asked loud to nobody in particular.

I shrugged my shoulder:

"I'll go" I volunteered, already walking to the door.

"You know where she lives?" Shinji asked.

My hand snatched at a piece of note paper from the note board.

"Do now!" my eyes glancing at the hand drawn map, my hands rapidly buttoning up the buttons of my parka coat.

Nobody told me the three children were having a test, by the time I arrived at Rei's following the erratic directions she was long gone. A neighbour told me that I'd missed her by mere minutes.

"Thanks" I muttered, my ears trying to avoid the cries of the baby inside the cramped little apartment.

Raising the fur lined hoot of the coat I boarded the elevator, the smell of alcohol on the neighbour's breath still irritating my nostrils.

This area was deprived; being so close to the city centre I knew it was one of the oldest areas of the city and despite the many building projects underway it was going to be quite some time till the area was up to scratch.

Merely to kill time I went to the library, its p.c. terminal was unoccupied so without hesitation I slotted in my SDAT player into the port, a quick search of the internet and the tiny or internal writer was already fabricating the music data onto tape.

The corner of my mouth twisted up into a smile as the realisation hit me:

_Ten years ago nobody thought technology could advance past MP3 players, how wrong they were, SDAT's became so cheap to manufacture and latter buy that MP3 players were made irrelevant just like CD players before them…Sony failed to get on the SDAT bandwagon and following their crashing stock prices quickly went out of business in August 2012_

My hobby of reading history books was quickly paying off.

"When you've not got a past, it helps to know someone else's" I muttered

Staring at the compact monitor screen was starting to hurt my eyes so after a quick glance to see if the flashing "download" light had finished I logged off and slowly walked back to Rei's apartment block.

The stench of stale vomit and urine seemed to follow me as I approached the elevator:

"Almost like a bad smell" I muttered to myself before letting out a deep throated chuckle intended for my own amusement.

Just as before I pushed the grease incrusted button then instantly wiped the black stain from upon my fingernail upon the back of my jeans.

My hand slowly rose to press the button for Rei's floor, my hand was entirely covered in blood, the thick substance dripped and ran from under my fingernails.

"What the fuck?"

My free hand cradling the damaged one by the wrist, no pain registered but none the less I shook my head in disbelief:

"How'd I manage that?"

Opening my eyes my hand was perfectly intact, no blood stained the white nails nor the dusty floor.

Roji's hand rose to hit forehead, shaking his slightly sweaty brow from left to right he muttered one thing:

"I've got to get more sleep"

The door was ajar.

Cautiously I edged it open slowly with the toe of my shoe, my back hard against the doorframe to conceal myself.

My finger pressing the off button on my SDAT player; the song I was listening to _(Last Goodbye)_ dying in my ears

Lowering my centre of gravity, I crept into the room in a semi-crouch both my knees bent to support the weight.

Concentrating slightly I slowed my breathing and heart rate, I couldn't keep this up for long even when meditating I could only do it for a couple of minutes or so.

I might know Ninjitsu but even I can't stop a bullet…my low position could save me from a random shot fired at standard chest height.

Every one of my senses was on alert.

As I approached the apex of the small T shaped room a shadow struck from around the corner, reacting purely on instructive impulse I flew myself to the floor, rolling onto my shoulder before standing.

My hand shooting behind me I launching onto a throat and began squeezing, mid turn I pushed forward with my shoulders.

Grunting in pain something slashed across my eye, blood seeping from the wound instantly trickling into my eyeball before covering my left cheek; despite this I kept on squeezing till the tendons in my forearm hurt from the pressure.

My attacker struggled; random blows, punches & kicks striking me.

As my vision cleared I realised it was Rei who I held within my grasp and instantly let go.

Rei fell to her knees, hands reflexively going for her throat:

"Get out" she weakly yelled

"Look I'm really sorry Ayanami"

She didn't say a single word in response; just looked at me.

Her red eyes looking at my red eyes.

We both had the signs of battle on us; blood trickling down my face, her throat was covered in the red rash my hand had inflicted, small black and blue bruises were starting of form on my chest and arms.

Slowly I bent down, my hand gripping upon a bandage littering the floor and wiped my wound till the blood staunched before handing it to Rei.

She looked at my claret upon the material then slowly wiped clean her bloody fingernail upon the bandage before tossing it to the floor.

Once more our eyes met; that same bloody colour reflected in one another's eyes.

Time passed it could have been minutes but if felt like hours then Rei left.

Somewhere behind me a phone was ringing, it rang for twenty seconds before Rei walked past me to answer it.

I listened as Rei was on the phone, an infringement of her privacy admittedly but my curiosity seemed to outweigh my conscience.

"Yes, I understand" her voice was neutral and emotionless, I found my eyes drawn to observing her lips as she spoke, trying to read her body language still didn't help me derive any form of emotions from her.

Even without knowledge of my past, to the point of not knowing who I really was didn't scar me or hurt me as much as witnessing his female who seemed to know no emotions… Deep down I pitied her.

Without words the phone was passed to me, for a few moments I looked at the plastic receiver in Rei's hands before taking it and talking:

"Hello?"

"Roji it's me…" Misato's voice on the other end of the line, its tone serious which instantly filled me with dread.

"…I need you to get out of the city by any means necessary"

"What? Why?" the mixture of confusion and anger in my voice was audible down the phone line, I didn't know it then but this was exactly what Misato wanted to avoid; me asking questions, as she knew she'd have to give me the answers.

"Its an Angel, I haven't got time to explain I just need to know you're going to be safe"

I could sense sadness in her voice, an emotion I'd never witnessed from Misato Katsuragi before.

"WHAT! You can't just expect me to leave my home and…" I yelled down the phone before Misato interrupted me with a voice just as loud and fear inducing as my own.

"That's exactly what I expect!"

"So you want me to go running scared? Abandon everything I fucking know and run?"

"Yes…" Her pausing sigh levelling her head until she spoke with her sympathetic almost motherly voice:

"I know you're scared but please do this for me"

_She wants me to go, to run from something I don't fear, to run from my only connection to this world, from my only family, from my only home_

"Ok Misato I'll do it for you" my voice was like Rei's, dry and placid.

"Promise me" she'd said, as if knowing I was lying, knowing that I'd betray her wishes.

"I promise" I answered dryly

"Good luck" she said before hanging up, that one tiny comment drew the point home that this was indeed serious.

I turned to look at Rei to gage her reaction but she wasn't there, I was alone in her room, she'd left during my telephone call as she'd been summoned to pilot her Eva while I was left alone with nothing but silence.

Gently I put the receiver back upon the body of the phone, the tiny sound of plastic rubbing upon plastic the only sound within the room for the briefest of seconds.

I stood looking about me, the bed with its soiled and bloody mattress I couldn't even comprehend, the bloody bandages and thin layer of dust upon everything reminded me of my forgotten past; of my forgotten purpose in life.

As I walked the streets searching for the Angel I found myself once more alone, in a city of thousands only I walked the streets like the sole survivor of so many zombie movies.

While I was strong and fast I still wasn't on the same scale as that of an Angel my encounter with the 9th Angel had proved that.

"If only I could pilot an Eva…" I muttered aloud "…if only I had that kind of strength and speed"

Before I'd shown no interest of desire to pilot an Evangelion, but now I had finally encountered the enemy and a battle lust was filling up inside me, I want to be useful, to help defend Tokyo-3:

"Not be some expendable asset to Misato"

When I helped defeat this Angel I'd make my intentions known to Major Katsuragi and pass whatever tests I had to pass to become an Eva pilot…I would become the fourth child!

"The target has been sighted! Maximum magnification!" Aoba yelled within the command centre, his heart pounding in his chest but outwardly he showed no fear even if in the next few moments he could be dead.

"Disaster twenty five thousand!" Hyuga shouted in confirmation following a glimpse at his workstation and the apparatus upon it, he was also fearful but being in such close proximity with Major Katsuragi helped him keep it under control and not inter fear with his work; after all he had a job to do!

"The falling Angel has been sighted, all Eva's on your marks"

_I trust the three of you with our lives; please show that my trust is well placed_

Misato felt no fear, unlike the others within the darkened room. She'd witnessed all the previous battles with the Angels firsthand and knew that this would be another battle the children could win but despite this justification she still clenched tightly the medallion around her neck;

_Just in case_

Meanwhile

Roji ran about the streets of Tokyo-3 his pattern random and without destination, with no eyes to watch or restrain his actions he leap over parked cars, hitched over spear like railings and ran to the fullest extent of his body without caring that his sweat soaked hair trailed behind him or that he's dropped his jacket in some unknown place.

His black converse boots echoing his heavy step as they ran through street upon street of possible targets, his choices based on assumption until as his lungs rapidly requested to draw breath he found himself overcome with a sense of fear and depression that ended with him looking skyward.

Fear consumed him in an instant, this was one battle he couldn't win, and he indeed was no use against this Angel. His body already wet with perspiration became slick with the new sweat of fear, his forehead shone with the glossy oil, his armpits wet and t-shirt damp and stained, sweat trickling down the curvature of his spine before slowly seeping into the waistband of his underwear…for the first time in Roji's life he felt absolute fear.

"Holy shit…" I muttered to myself.

With each second of stunned disbelief it came closer and closer, plummeting like a living bomb with that sort of speed the impact would totally desolate Tokyo-3 and thanks to my foolish heroism I simply didn't have enough time to escape the impact are; I was a fool for thinking I could help.

Tearing my t-shirt from my torso I began running once more, I saw an apartment block, easily the highest building around and ran towards it, my wet hand slipped upon the railing as I grabbed onto the rusty metal but thankfully my feet found purchase and I began ascending. With each footfall metal reverberated and clanged around me as the ancient fire escape couldn't support my weight and could succumbed at any moment but still I threw my body upwards; unconsciously closing the distance between myself and the Angel with every step.

Once upon the roof I looked at Tokyo-3 around me, the majority of it securely locked down within the Geofront.

The Angel loomed above, the red hue of it breaking the atmosphere dissipating from its body. With a heavy thud I feel to my knees, my arms hung limp in defeat at my sides as sweat still continued to seep from my pores.

One minute I was looking up at the coming Armageddon then I found myself talking but for once I spoke not to myself, no I spoke for another set of ears:

"God in heaven, I've never been a religious man but please I beg of you spare my home, I have nothing to give for I am nothing…"

Tears poured from my eyes, the salty fluid running down my cheeks before striking the hot tar covered surface of the roof under me.

"…please God I beg of you….save my ci….save me"

My eyes stung from crying but nonetheless I look one final look at the city I called home. That's when I saw our salvation, when I rose to my feet and paid heaven no more attention; I spoke no longer to God:

"Miracles don't just happen, people make them happen…"

I saw the giant robot I had never witnessed before, over the distance I knew it must be an Evangelion and as my eyes noticed the sun brushed purple I knew it was Unit 01 and Shinji.

"…MAKE IT HAPPEN SHINJI!" I yelled

Unit 01 ran, I watched as it ran very much like the human inside, the speed however was like nothing Shinji could ever ascertain nor myself for that matter as it was indeed superior.

I didn't know the plan was to catch the Angel, I didn't see any weapons upon the purple robot or I'd have assumed that the idea was to blast it out of the sky.

"Come on Shinji run!"

Even from the distance that I watched from I couldn't breathe as I witnessed Shinji's expanding AT field, despite failing to find oxygen I still watched with awe as Unit 01 reached up to stop the falling Angel.

My own muscles twitched and expanded as if my strength were being sapped into the Evangelion even though I knew this were not happening.

"Come on Shinji" I muttered to fill the void of silence about me; once again I was talking to myself.

Finally I drew breath as Asuka and Rei arrived to support Shinji, from my distance I couldn't witness the subtle difference between the three Evangelion units but to give me credit it was the first time I'd seen the Evangelion's I'd merely heard them mentioned or talked about them at home.

_So this is what I'm going to be piloting_

My eyes refused to blink at the Angel exploded, for a full two minutes I didn't more and no thoughts were within my head.

Then slowly a huge hand emerged from the newly formed crater, and then another and another. Slowly Units 00 and 02 climbed out the crater, the bright red of Asuka's Eva clashing with the tones of white and blue of Rei's Eva. Eventually Shinji within Unit 01 was pulled from the crater with the assistance of the other Evangelion's.

We had survived, another battle had been won.

Only then did I let myself celebrate.

"FUCK YES!" my fist being thrown into the air high above my head.

Authors Notes:

For this chapter I ended up watching the episode several times and I believe I've spotted a chronological mistake in Evangelion, I'm setting up a forum on the subject so feel free to check it out.

Metaphorical prizes also awarded for correctly recognising the small video game references used…just for fun.

Note to self: Never write the ending first then work backwards ever again!


End file.
